


Electric Love

by Stormsong



Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angel Bonds, Angel Mating, Big Brother Dean, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gabriel (Supernatural) is Loki, Gabriel can be clueless, M/M, Magical Pregnancy, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Nephilim, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Pregnancy, Pregnant Sam, Protective Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester at Stanford, Season/Series 01, Tags Contain Spoilers, Unplanned Pregnancy, it's not graphic, pregnancy symptoms, some smut, that one should go without saying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-03 14:48:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 26,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11534463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormsong/pseuds/Stormsong
Summary: Sam meets a guy named Gabe while he attends school at Stanford. They hit it off and everything goes great. For a while. Until Gabe disappears and Dean shows up shortly after to tell Sam that their Dad is missing.





	1. Bad Ideas Aren't Always So Bad

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [One Little Change](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7603225) by [JasonMorganfan87](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasonMorganfan87/pseuds/JasonMorganfan87). 



Sam had met him at a frat party. Of all places. It _really_ wasn't Sam’s type of scene. But Brady had insisted that Sam go. His friend had insisted for three days before Sam had given in.

Sam would do the whole horrible experience again if Sam got to meet _him_ every time.

In the beginning Sam had _known_ it was going to be a _horrible_ idea. He wasn't entirely wrong. His older brother Dean would have fit in better than Sam. But Dean wasn't there. _Dean_ was most likely with their father tracking a windigo, or a werewolf, or perhaps a simple salt and burn vengeful spirit case.

Sam had had the grand idea to go to law school, and get out of the family business, hunting the supernatural. Sam had still wanted to save people; just in a more mundane way.

Apparently going to college meant going to frat parties, where no one seemed to care about questionable or legality in their activities.

Sam held up a piece of wall with a red cup in one hand trying to fend off the pawing sorority girl with the other. The incredibly drunk sorority girl. She wasn't even the first. Or second. Or even the third he had rejected. The little blond was the fourth female and sixth person to proposition him. By then Sam had also turned down questionable alcohol and various drugs as well. Most of them had accepted a simple ‘no, thank you’. But not this one.

This girl was all hands. A virtual octopus. Just as he had removed a hand from under his shirt she was trying to _undo his fly!_ Right in the middle of the party where everyone could see...not that they would be the first pair to do so…. But Sam didn't want public sex. Especially not with a drunk, or otherwise intoxicated, person.

Sam was about to put down his cup to use both hands to fend her off with when _he_ showed up and rescued him. Not that Sam needed it, of course.

The guy seemed to come out of nowhere. He came up, tapped the girl on her shoulder to get her attention, once he had it he turned her, pointed at a frat boy across the room, and said, “See that football player over there? He told me just a second ago that he would _love_ to take you upstairs.”

“Huh? For real?”

The guy in question wasn't even looking their way. In fact he was eyeing some guy’s ass and trying to look like he was doing no such thing.

“Yup!” The guy in front of Sam assured. There was a twinkle in whiskey eyes that told Sam that he knew exactly what Sam had observed. In a conspiring whisper he told her, “He told me he was just a little shy, but that he would meet you upstairs once he gathered enough courage.”

The sorority girl’s eyes opened wide. She breathed, “Really?” Without any more encouraging she turned on a heel, somehow without overbalancing, and practically flew up the stairs.

Sam stared at his rescuer. “That. Was. Devious.” Devious or not Sam found himself grinning. “Thanks, man.”

The twinkle had turned into a sparkle. “For you? Any time, hot stuff!”

Sam blushed. It wasn't the term that got to him. After all six people, tonight alone, men and women, both, had hit on him. There was simply something about this 5 foot 8 inch, dark golden haired, whiskey eyed man. And he was a man. Not a boy. Certainly not a frat boy. Sam wasn't even sure this guy was even a college student.

There was just something...elemental...about him. Something sensual that went all the way back to the beginning of mankind.

It most certainly wasn't the eyebrow wiggle that he gave Sam when he blushed. _That_ made Sam chuckle.

For a moment Sam thought the shorter man was going to give him a cheesy one liner to match the brow wiggle. But it didn't come.

Instead of what Sam expected he heard, “Why don't you and I go somewhere with better atmosphere?” And then almost as if in afterthought, “and better alcohol.” Before Sam could decide anything the other man went on to say drolly, “Unless, of course, you like this sort of thing. But it looked to me you were pretty bored holding up that piece of wall behind you.”

Sam's lips twitched and he put down his cup on a piece of wooden furniture that he couldn't identify. It already held several other identical red cups.

“Does ‘better atmosphere’ have a name?”

The man grinned. “You can call me Gabe.”

“Nice to meet you, Gabe. I'm Sam.”

Gabe threw a thumb over his shoulder towards the main group of partiers, “Didn't I see you come in with a friend? Do you need to let him know you're ditching?”

“Not at all,” Sam replied unconcerned.”Brady can take care of himself.”

“Since that's the case let's blow this joint.”

In the end they walked to Gabe's place. An apartment maybe a twenty minute walk from the frat house. Sam was so engrossed in their conversation he never noticed how long it took to get there. Of course, even though he’s an ex-hunter, Sam didn’t stop taking note of his surroundings or memorizing the route; no matter how enamored he was becoming with his conversational partner.

Sam was laughing, or probably still laughing, at something Gabe had said when they stopped in front of a second floor apartment door. Gabe unlocked it and opened the door with a flourish.

Sam stepped through the door and went still.

The apartment was _nothing_ like he expected. It looked like it came out of a Sears catalog, for one. Or rather all the greatest hits from the 50’s thru the 70’s. The fridge with the rounded corners looked like it came from the 50’s alone. The light fixtures looked straight out of the 60’s. The blinding red couch and most of the furniture in the living room area looked like it was from the 70’s. The rest looked like a combo of the three decades with modern embellishments thrown in. Somehow it all fit well together.

Gabe chuckled. “This isn't at all how I planned to make you speechless.” Sam turned to the man to find him grinning. “I can't decide if I should be insulted or not.”

Sam blinked at him and then snorted. He gestured to the kitchen and living area. “It's just...dude, not at all what I expected.” This time it was Gabe that blinked at him, grin firmly in place. “I...I mean it doesn't look like the stereotypical bachelor…” Sam waved his hand looking for a word.

“Mess?” Gabe filled in with a guess. “Gross terrarium style?” He was smirking now.

“Maybe that too,” Sam's lips twitched at the humor of it. His own dorm wasn't much better than the stereotype. It would be better if his roommate could keep his stuff at least orderly.

Then his mind came back around to some thing Gabe said. Sam raised an eyebrow and smirked. “How _did_ you plan to make me speechless?” He could guess, but wanted Gabe to say. It wasn't like Gabe hadn't flirted and clearly shown his interest in Sam. Sam _is_ interested; or he wouldn't have left the frat party with Gabe in the first place.

Gabe didn't keep him waiting. With slow obvious intent the shorter man brought his hands up to hold Sam's face. Gabe was giving Sam time to pull away if this wasn't something Sam wanted. The taller man met Gabe half way.

Dean once tricked Sam into sticking a piece of metal into an outlet when they were kids. It was the quickest lesson Sam ever learned about electricity; one he would never forget. Nor would he forget the zing along his skin as low voltage arched along that small strip of metal and along the young Sam’s arm. The tingle had lasted for a hour, at minimum.

When Sam’s lips connected to Gabe’s...it felt much like that zing of electric current. But soooo much better!

Sam didn’t pull away. He dived in. Sam’s hands came up and pulled Gabe to himself. Pelvis to pelvis. But his hands didn’t stay there. Quickly they sought out for more contact. Sam wanted to see if touching Gabe anywhere else provided that same wonderful electric current. His fingertips slid underneath Gabe’s shirt and there it was. The current zinged along Sam’s fingers, past his palms, and along his arms. Sam moaned into the shorter man’s mouth. He needed more!

There was a chuckle against Sam’s lips and Gabe’s hands began to wander as well. Except instead of simply moving under Sam’s shirt Gabe was pulling the article off. _Well then. Gabe’s would simply have to come off as well._

And they did. Article by article the two men undressed each other lips barely parting except by necessity, even then only briefly. As the clothes came off they managed to move from the kitchen/living area towards the bedroom.

Sam felt the bed behind his legs and let himself fall upon it. The way Gabe stared down at him with hunger in those whisky eyes made him feel like an offering before a god. If Gabe was the god he was being offered to...then that was more than fine by Sam.

Gabe descended upon Sam like the hungry god in his own metaphor. The shorter man climbed onto the bed to straddle Sam’s waist and nuzzled his nose into Sam’s neck. Gabe kissed and nibbled and sent Sam’s pulse racing.

“Gabe….” Sam moaned on a breath. That electric current was still there. Sam wrapped his arms around the other man’s back as if  holding onto a live wire and hanging on was the only way to survive.

“You taste sweet. Like candy,” Gabe’s lips tickled kisses down Sam’s chest.

Sam huffed a laugh that was transformed into a gasp by a hand wrapping around his cock. On their own accord Sam’s nails dug into Gabe’s back. He could have sworn that if there really was an electric current moving between the two men then it had gotten stronger. The voltage amped up and things went from light to sizzling in seconds.

Gabe ground his pelvis down on Sam’s. “Tell me you want this, Sam. Please. Please tell me you want this as badly as I do.” The words were a cross between a moan and begging.

It felt too good for Sam to say ‘no’. Not that the thought had occurred to him at all. “Yes,” he breathed, lifting his groin to meet Gabe’s.

The cool gel and prodding fingers did nothing to sooth the electric current Sam was beginning to be sure was truly running along his skin and against Gabe’s. In fact the prodding fingers only heightened Sam’s awareness of the electricity flowing between the two of them. He was sure sex had never _never_ felt like this with any other partner.

…

 

When the being known as Loki to other gods first laid eyes on the bored college student he knew _exactly_ who and what he was. Loki had heard the rumors and the whispers. He liked to keep tabs on his older brothers’ minions. Even though he’d run away from home too many years ago to count it didn’t mean he stopped caring. So when he saw his brother’s True Vessel Loki thought he would have a closer look.

When Loki read the human’s soul and saw the brightness that reminded him of his favorite brother...well...he couldn’t help but want to get closer. He told himself it was to have a little fun. And besides...the vessel was as good looking as his shining soul. And just as bored.

When the being that went by Loki had told the tall, gorgeous vessel his real name (or what amounted to his real name) he could have groaned with his own idiocy and carelessness. Instead of walking away they took a walk to Loki’s own apartment. Loki told himself it was to get to know his brother’s vessel. See if there was anything to be missed when his brother filled it and would lock the bright soul away.

Loki wasn’t expecting to be so drawn to the man. To Sam. Not just to that bright soul. But to Sam himself. Sam was intelligent and quick witted.

Loki was also attracted physically. There was absolutely no denying that Loki was sexually attracted to Sam.

If Loki should have walked away after saving Sam from being pawed at by the drunk college girl then he most assuredly should have flown away when Gabriel’s grace and Sam’s soul arched like electricity towards each other when their lips met.

But Gabriel couldn’t. He was already captured by Sam’s soul like a moth drawn by a bug zapper. Instead of dying like the moth Gabriel craved more with each taste.

As Gabriel finished prepping Sam to take his cock his grace and Sam’s soul were so tightly intertwined together a small part of Gabriel wondered if he would ever be able to part from Sam after tonight. He wasn’t sure he _wanted_ to; never mind if he _could_.

…

 

Gabe’s cock slid in slowly giving Sam time to adjust. For which Sam was grateful. He’d known for awhile now that he was at least a little bit attracted to men as well as women. But hadn’t been with another male as of yet.

Nothing he could talk to his brother, and certainly not his father, about. Neither male relative were homophobic or anything. But John Winchester wasn’t exactly an open minded individual either. Everything from the mundane to the supernatural was in black and white for John. Shades of grey simply didn’t exist. And that was how he’d raised his sons. One of the many things that drove a wedge between father and youngest son.

All thoughts were driven out when Gabe began to move. And holy Hell could the man move! Gabe’s cock moving in and out of Sam was the most amazing thing he was sure he ever felt. If asked right that moment if it could get better Sam would have answered no. But he was wrong. So gloriously wrong.

Gabe’s cock pushed in while his mouth latched onto Sam’s pulse point on his neck and began to suck a bruise into his skin. Sam saw stars and bucked to meet Gabe. Then the pace got faster and the electricity pulsed in time with it.

When they reached their apex the electric current did as well. And it became visible.

Gabe gasped a hurried, “Close your eyes, Sam!” Which he did, but Gabe still covered his closed eyes with a hand.

…

 

Gabriel wasn’t going to risk his lover’s eyes melting in their sockets when his grace and Sam’s soul exploded against each other while Sam and Gabe both physically climaxed.

If he had had the energy to to panic he would have. As it was all he could do was collapse in exhaustion half on top of Sam. Who was also nearly unconscious. Grace and souls were not meant to do that. Or at least not that Gabriel was aware. It was only to be expected that neither of them would have any energy left.

Gabriel laid amazed that the grace/soul explosion had caused no damage. It was a miracle.

He might have laughed at the irony of the thought or explored the cause and effect of the mingling grace and soul if it weren’t for the arms that tightened around him and the soothing presence that came with it.


	2. Unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few unexpected things happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be careful reading this. There is depression in this chapter. I even made myself cry writing it.

It only took two weeks.

Two weeks of text messages while Sam should have been paying attention to his professors. Two weeks of coffee and a quick bite together between classes. Two weeks of breakfasts and sometimes dinner together. 

Two weeks crammed full of little moments in a very busy schedule. They were little things. Favorite muffins when Sam was running late. Dropped off forgotten notes. Surprise chocolate chip pancakes with extra whipped cream for Gabe when Sam’s morning class got canceled. Sneaking candy into pants and shirt pockets when Gabe wasn’t looking and seeing that smile when he finds them.

Two weeks of Sam falling asleep with his arms wrapped around his lover.

It only took two weeks for Sam to fall in love. He didn't know that's all he would get.

…

  
  


Gabriel never thought anyone could fall in love in two weeks. But he did. Which meant he’d been there too long. Two weeks too long. It meant that Gabriel would have to leave. Would have to break his own heart. And he suspected he would be breaking Sam’s as well. Which made the heart in his vessel clench all the more at the thought of leaving. At leaving Sam.

He would leave a gift behind for Sam. Of course, Sam would never know it

Surprisingly the ex-hunter hadn’t realized that his best bud Brady now hosted a demon. So if Gabriel had to leave the least he could do was clean up the dark stain hanging around Sam. Which he had planned on doing anyways.

…

 

The morning that it happened Sam had woken up to Gabe still wrapped in his arms. 

That didn’t always happen. Gabe was an insomniac. So Sam had learned to cherish every moment that it did. He pulled his lover closer and rained little kisses on Gabe’s cheek.

Gabe giggled. “Stop that! You’re gonna give me a complex!”

Sam snorted, but stopped. Instead he nuzzled into the other man’s neck. That only made the shorter man huff.

“Why are you so cuddly this morning?”

“I always cuddle you,” Sam replied tightening his arms around Gabe.

There was a smile in Gabe’s voice when he said, “Yeah. But not like this. Not that I really mind.”

Sam thought about that a few seconds. “I suppose it’s because I feel like something bad is going to happen and I need to reassure myself that you are here and okay.”

Gabe went still.

It was only for a second, but Sam felt it.

Gabe turned in his arms and grinned at Sam. “Nothing bad is going to happen, my Samshine.” He rubbed his nose against Sam’s in an Eskimo kiss, and Sam felt a grin spread across his own face. He couldn’t help it.  Eskimo kisses were a surefire way to get him to grin. And Gabe knew it.

Sam believed him. Believed because he didn’t want anything to happen so it was easy to believe. But Gabe was wrong.

Gabe had lied.

Sam hadn’t known it at the time, but that was what Gabe had done. He lied directly to Sam’s face.

Sam found out when he came back that evening from his last class of the day to see a box with Sam’s name on it outside of Gabe’s apartment door.

Sam’s key wouldn’t fit the lock. Which wasn’t a problem except that it happened at all. Sam easily picked the lock, a skill he’d had since he was eight or ten years old.

Once it was picked and the door swung open Sam stood stunned. The apartment was completely empty. Pristine even. There was absolutely no sign that  _ anyone _ had  _ ever _ lived there. There were no indents in the carpet to show that something heavy had been there for long periods of time. There wasn’t a single spot on the walls to show that anything had ever hung there. Not even a single nail. When Sam flipped the light switch no light came on. When he turned on the faucet, no water. Because a vacant apartment doesn’t need power and water.

“What the  _ hell _ is going on!” Sam’s voice echoed in the emptiness.

The pain didn’t hit right away. First was anger and disbelief.

Sam quickly checked with the neighbors, at least those that were home. The two that were home both said the same thing. Neither remembered anyone at all ever living in Gabe's apartment. Neither of them even remembered ever seeing  _ Sam _ going in or out of the apartment.  _ That _ was even stranger to Sam then them not seeing Gabe; because Sam recognized both of the neighbors that he talked to.

It was with a heavy heart and a confused mind that Sam took the box with his name on it and walked to his dorm room.

It could have been an elaborate prank, but Sam had a really bad feeling that it wasn’t.

As he arrived at his dorm room door Sam realized why, and he went still. The last few nights he’d had the same dream over and over. That Gabe would disappear. Like he never existed. And it had happened. Gabe really had disappeared without a trace. Like he’d never been there the last two amazing weeks.

Sam’s heart clenched tightly and he dropped the box to clutch his chest. “No,” he whispered with horror. Why would Gabe leave him? As if the love and happiness they’d shared was meaningless. That thought took a second to truly register. Sam had been truly happy and truly in love with Gabe.

A heart wrenching sob broke past Sam’s lips and he crumpled to the floor right outside of his dorm room door.

That’s how his roommate, Keith, found him a hour later.

…

 

For three days Sam refused to leave his room or his bed. He only left to get water or use the toilet. Nothing else could get him to move. Keith tried to help Sam. He could give his roommate credit enough for that. When comfort didn’t work Keith tried bribery of favorite foods and alcohol. Sam refused it all. He didn’t think anything would make him happy ever again. Not unless it was Gabe.

What Sam did do was pray. Sorta. He thought more of it like leaving voice mails or writing letters he knew would never be received. Sam would have done that instead if he could. But Gabe’s number was disconnected and there was no address to write to.

Forming the prayer letters was about as depressing as the first realization that Gabe had known he was going to leave Sam, and purposefully lied when he said nothing bad was going to happen. And about as depressing as realizing that Gabe was never going to tell Sam that he was leaving in the first place. Was never going to say good-bye.

…

 

Most prayers Gabriel received were like bee stings against thick skin. Mostly just sort of annoying and ignorable.

The ones from Sam were not.

Gabriel was pretty certain Sam didn’t know his prayers were actually reaching their intended target. That somehow made it hurt all the more. An it  _ did _ hurt Gabriel. About as bad as leaving Heaven had. Gabriel hadn’t wanted to do that either, but felt like he had to all the same. Just like now, with Sam.

The first prayer from Sam was like a punch to the gut. It was short and simple like one, but it hurt more than two words should.  _ “Gabe, why?!” _ There was so  _ so _ much pain that accompanied those two words. It should have been impossible, but, frankly, Gabriel was more focused on the pain that Sam’s pain had caused him. That Sam felt  _ that _ . All that hurt and heartbreak.

The prayers and pain only got worse, but Gabriel wouldn’t let them persuade him to go back. No matter how much he wanted to go back to Sam he wouldn’t allow himself to do so. It would just cause too much trouble for Sam if he did. And Sam didn’t deserve that.

The next prayer felt like Gabriel was being hit in the ribs with a baseball bat.  _ “Gabe, why did you leave me? You didn’t even say good-bye. I think I would have understood if you had to go. But you vanished. Why?” _

The prayer after that was like a knife in Gabriel’s heart. Plunged to the hilt and twisted. Over and over with every word.  _ “Gabe, I miss you so much! I...I love you. I know I hadn’t said it yet. But I love you. I wish you’d come back to me. I ne- Gabe! I need you!” _

Gabriel didn’t go. He almost did. But he made himself stay right where he was. “I love you, too, Samshine.” Tears streamed down the archangel/pagan god’s cheeks unchecked.

…

 

Sam was depressed. He knew it. The signs were all there. He didn’t go to classes. Didn’t eat. Barely left his bed. And certainly didn’t shower. That didn’t mean he wanted to die by home invasion.

So three nights after Gabe had completely and thoroughly vanished from his life and he heard movement in the dorm where there should have been none...Sam grabbed the baseball bat from next to his bed. 

It  _ could _ have been Keith, but the chances of that were slim to none. Once Keith went to sleep  _ nothing _ short of a natural disaster, or his phone alarm, could wake him. Sam had had the guy for a roommate for over a year. It had been tried and tested.

Sam snuck out of his room without letting his door make a sound; and made sure to avoid all the loose and squeaky floorboards. Living somewhere long enough had Sam memorizing all of the spots that made noise. Being an ex-hunter had him naturally avoid them when he wanted to make the least amount of noise.

The shadow in the kitchen was too tall to be Keith.

Sam didn’t know what gave him away. He had taken great care to move with stealth. But before he knew it the intruder had turned around, taken the bat right out of Sam’s hands, and tossed it aside. A few minutes of scuffling and the intruder had Sam pinned to the floor of the living area. It was embarrassingly fast, and Sam wasn’t on top of his game.

Moonlight fell across the intruder’s face.

“Dean?”

Sam’s older brother grinned. “You’re losing your touch, Sammy,” Dean scolded playfully. Then he frowned, concern colored his words. “You don’t look none too good.”

“What the hell-?”

Sam looked over his brother’s shoulder. Keith stood there with Sam’s tossed bat. It was at the ready. “Keith. This is my brother.”

Keith eased the bat to his side. “Brother huh? Maybe  _ he _ ,” he nodded towards Dean, “can get you to eat.” 

Sam’s roommate looked like he might have said something after that. But Sam wasn’t sticking around to hear it. At the mention of food he was pushing Dean aside and scrambling for the bathroom. He was sure that the splash of bile could be heard from the living area. He thought his cheeks might have flushed at the idea if he hadn’t bent back over the toilet bowl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come yell at me on tumblr @stuckatsix


	3. Big Brother Dean Can Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean finds out what's been going on with Sam and tells Sam about their missing father.

A lamp switched on, revealing the shabby college apartment; the living room/kitchen combo at least. The hallway was still dark, mostly. The light coming from the bathroom did almost nothing to illuminate it.

“Well, that’s different,” the man who must have been Keith remarked with some concern. He was standing next to the lamp staring down the hall. He was dressed in a t-shirt and basketball shorts and looked nothing like someone who should have just been woken up. More like someone who badly needed sleep.

If Dean had to guess he’d have said that the darker skinned dude had to be Sam’s roommate. The guess was accompanied by the fact that he had come from the opposite direction Sam had tried to sneak up on Dean from. So Keith definitely wasn’t a boyfriend. Not that Dean had a problem with that sort of thing.

“What do you mean?” Dean asked.

“He’s been really depressed. He barely leaves his room and he hasn’t been going to classes or eating. So it’s kinda odd that he’s throwing up now.” Keith cringed at the splashing sound coming from the bathroom.

Dean’s brows turned down. “Depressed?”

“Yeah. I think he got his heart broken. I found him sobbing on our doorstep three days ago. Before that he was hardly home. When he was he was grinning like a lovesick fool.”

Dean grunted at the new information. He couldn’t remember the last time Sam had cried. Maybe when he was barely out of diapers? Certainly not because his heart had been broken.

He walked into the kitchen and searched the cabinets until he found a cup. There wasn’t anything Dean could do about a broken heart, but he could tend to the rest of it. Cup of water in hand he took it to the bathroom, where he found Sam hugging the toilet bowl.

“Here,” Dean offered the cup. “Swish and spit.”

Sam did as directed. After the first few mouthfuls were spat into the toilet Sam drank the rest. Dean took the cup back and set it on what little counter there was next to the sink. With both hands now free he hauled his little brother up.

“C’mon, Sammy, let’s get you somewhere more comfortable than the floor. By the sounds of things I don’t think you got any more in ya to eject.” Sam groaned at the reminder. Dean would have chuckled if his brother didn’t look like crap warmed over. He got a grip under his brother’s armpits and hauled up Sam up. Dean’s too tall brother was too light. He supposed not eating for three days would do that to a fella. It was all too easy to lug Sam to the couch.

Just as he set Sam down Keith came over and handed him a bottle. Gatorade. “Perfect! Thanks, man.” Dean loosened the cap and handed it to his brother. “Here. Sip that.” Turning back to Keith he asked. “Y’all got any crackers or anything? If not that maybe some soup?”

“I’ll go check.”

Focusing back on his brother Dean watched as Sam took a sip of the drink and recapped it. Sam hadn’t yet looked him in the eyes.

Dean squatted down. “What’s going on?”

Sam’s lips twitch, but still wasn’t looking at his brother. “I thought you didn’t do chick flick moments.”

Dean scowled. “Really, dude? I’m told you haven’t eaten in three days! That’s not a chick flick moment!” Sam turned away like he was ashamed of something. “Look at me, Sam,” Dean’s tone was firm. It was the one he had to use when he was being Big Brother. One Sam always listened to.

He listened now, too.

Sam raised his face to his brother. Dean almost wished he hadn’t. The look in those red eyes was most certainly heartbreak. He remembered that look from when he was four and their father tried to explain to Dean that his mom was dead. John had that look every time he thought about Mary.

Dean swore under his breath. How the fuck was he supposed to deal with this?! This went beyond chick flick! Chick flicks he could dodge. And if he couldn’t then he could deal. If it was himself he’d drown the hurt and sorrow in alcohol. Sammy wasn’t the type.

There was only one thing for it. Make his brother focus on something else. And Dean had come here to enlist his little brother’s help anyways.

The sounds in the kitchen stopped before Dean could say anything. Keith came back with his keys in his hand.

“We don’t seem to have anything that’s any good for a stomach in his condition” Sam’s roommate informed Dean. “Imma gonna hit up a twenty-four hour store and see what I can find.” To Sam he said, “ Hang tight, Sam.” Keith walked off and out the front door without waiting for a reply.

“Well, that’s convenient,” Dean tried to remark with humor, but it fell flat.

…

 

Sam uncapped the Gatorade, took a sip, and screwed the cap back on. Whatever flavor the blue drink was it was doing wonders for killing the sour taste in his mouth. But he quickly pushed away any thoughts that might lead to his upset stomach. He much rather focus on whatever brought Dean breaking into his dorm aparment in the middle of the night.

“What’s going on, Dean?” Sam hadn’t seen or heard from his brother in three years; and honestly hadn’t expected to after their father pretty much kicked him out of the family for wanting to go to college and be something other than a hunter for the rest of his life. Sam wasn’t likely to admit it, not after a parting like Sam had had with their father, but Sam had missed Dean.

“Dad’s missing.” There was worry hidden under the calm words.

“So? He’s gone missing before, and was fine every time.”

“Not this long, Sam. Not like this.”

Sam sighed, opened his drink and took a sip before closing it again. At this rate it would take forever for him to finish the bottle, but at least it seemed to be staying down.

“You want me to with you to help find him, don’t you?” Sam finally asked.

“That is why I’m here,” Dean answered.

Sam took a few minutes to think before answering. Normally he’d say no. That he had wanted out of the ‘family business’, and that’s why he went to college in the first place. But Sam couldn’t bring himself to care about school anymore. Life had become dim and gray without Gabe. He’d already missed a few classes. Sam hadn’t even checked what his LSAT score was! Which was important to figure out what law schools he could get into. None of which seemed to matter anymore.

However, no matter how much on the outs Sam was with their dad he still loved the man. If Dean thought there was cause to worry then there was cause to worry. Truthfully...perhaps Sam could use something else to focus on. It wasn’t like the pain would stop being there.

“Alright. I’ll help find dad.”

Dean grinned and slapped a hand down onto Sam’s shoulder. “That’s my brother!” At Sam’s wince he chided softly, “Geez, Sam! Must have been some chick to break you like that!”

Sam winced again. This time not because of pain. Unrelated, bile tried to rise, and had Sam quickly unscrewing the lid of his drink to take a quick sip. He took short shallow breaths to test if he needed to dash to the bathroom or not. After several seconds it seemed like he was in the clear. Sam took another sip before recapping the bottle.

Finally, Sam told Dean, “It wasn’t a woman.”

“Then what was it?” Dean asked confused. As far as Sam’s brother was aware Sam only liked girls.

“A guy.”

Dean’s eyes opened wide. “Huh. Well, I stand by my words. Must have been some guy!”

Sam could feel the broken thing on his face that tried its best to be a smile. “Yeah. He was.”

“Aw, Sammy, c’mere.” Dean pulled Sam into his arms and held him tight as silent tears fell. He hadn’t even realized he was crying until he felt the wetness of Dean’s jacket against his cheek.

…

 

Keith came back roughly twenty minutes later with saltines, ginger ale, a few cans of soup, and more Gatorade. By then Sam was composed and had managed to keep the first bottle of Gatorade down.

As Dean placed a bowl of soup into the microwave to heat Keith excused himself. “Since your brother is here and you’re at least letting him take care of you...Imma gonna go get some sleep.”

“Hey, Keith?” Sam called to his roommate before he could get too far.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry, man. For worrying you.”

Keith waved it off. “Shit happens.”

The rest of the night the brothers spent making plans for searching their father. Dean would have liked to head out that night. That was his original plan. But seeing Sam in the condition he was…. No way! Let the kid get a meal in him and some rest.  _ Then _ they could hit the road.

…

 

Before Sam fell back to sleep he sent another prayer letter. This time to fill Gabe in on his brother’s arrival and the request to help look for the missing father. Sam left out the strange nausea.


	4. Not Unfaithful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and Dean head to Jericho, Ca to take care of a Woman in White. And Sam is still having nausea. What?

On the way to Jericho, California, the last known location of their father Dean stopped at a run down gas station that Sam was surprised was still standing, let alone still in business. It looked like it belonged to a ghost town with it’s weathered wood facade.

Dean pulled alongside the antique pumps and Sam bolted out of the car to make a dash for the bushes.

“Dude! You alright? You’ve never been carsick before. Or are you still sick from last night?” Dean shut the driver door and made his way around the front of the car to shut the passenger door Sam left open.

Sam wiped his mouth on his jacket sleeve as he walked back towards Dean. “I dunno, man. It doesn’t make any sense. I kept down the soup last night and haven’t had anything to make my stomach upset with yet.”

“Whatever it is,” Dean opened the back door, grabbed a Gatorade and a packet of saltines, and shut the door with his hip. “Good thing I thought about snagging these. Here.”

Sam took the crackers and sports drink. “Thanks.” He opened the passenger door, sat in the car, but kept the door open and his legs stretched out. Sam leaned his head against the seat and nibbled on crackers as Dean gassed up the car. Several minutes later Dean was getting in the driver seat with a bag of junk food and they were driving off. Thankfully Sam was able to keep the crackers and Gatorade down.

The nausea didn’t sneak back up on him till much later when they were talking to a girl that had been putting up missing person posters.

Sam and Dean sat across from her and her friend at a table in a dinner. He was about to order coffee, same as Dean, but his stomach rolled at the idea. “I’ll stick to water.”

His brother gave him an odd look, but turned his focus back to the girl.

The investigation went fairly well with only a few hiccups. Which was pretty par for the course. They found the history on the local Woman in White, nearly got ran over when she possessed the Impala, which had them jumping over the side of a bridge and Dean falling into the river.

When they went to check into the motel they found out that their dad already had a room that was still paid off. It was clear that they had missed John by at least two days. By the look of the walls their father had clearly figured out the whole case, but for some reason hadn’t wrapped it up.

After a shower Dean declared that he was hungry and got arrested when he left to get food. After a quick call from Dean Sam was able to sneak out and took off to find Constance Welch’s, the woman in white’s, husband. A few questions and some prodding at the husband gave Sam everything he needed to to know to move on with the hunt.

Sam placed a quick fake 911 call before he headed off to the old Welch house. He knew that a diversion would be enough to get his brother out of the sheriff’s custody. That was, of course, if Dean wasn’t in a jail cell. Chances were that he would still be in interrogation.

On the drive to the old Welsh house things got real interesting when Constance showed up in the middle of the road. Sam slamming on the breaks effectively ended the phone call with his brother mid sentence.

Her voice was eerie as she commanded softly, “Take me home,” from the back seat.

Sam told her no and she _did not_ like that at all. The door locks went down on their own, the engine turned over and the car began to move. But Sam refused to be intimidated by a ghost.

The car pulled into the yard and turned off.

“Don’t do this,” Sam pleaded.

The ghost didn’t seem to be paying attention to him. She was focused on the house. “I can never go home,” Constance mourned.

Sam realized, “You’re afraid to go home.” He turned to the back seat, but she wasn’t there.

In the next second the ghost was straddling his lap. Sam tried to flinch away. Without success.

“Hold me. I’m so cold,” Constance told Sam.

“You can’t kill me,” Sam told her in a hurry. “I’m not unfaithful! _He_ left _me_!” That made her pause, but only for a second.

“Doesn’t matter,” she told him. Then she was kissing Sam. Which didn’t last long before _she_ flinched away. There was shock on the dead woman’s face. “A child?” Constance whispered in confusion before disappearing.

Sam hadn’t a clue what she meant by that. Only now he could reach the car keys and take her home like the ghost originally wanted. Except the only way he was sure he could do that was by driving the car into the old abandoned house.

It was reckless but it worked.

Dean pulled Sam from the car and the brothers watched as the ghosts of her children finished off their mother.

“Let’s get out of here,” Dean said. Sam nodded and got into the passenger seat of the Impala.

That night, after discussing the next step to finding their father, and before Sam fell asleep in the passenger seat, he sent off a silent prayer letter to Gabe.

_“Hey, Gabe. I miss you. That’s not really new. Dad wasn’t in Jericho like we hoped. Missed him by four days as it turns out. But we already have a lead on where to go next. The ghost we tracked down, a Woman in White...she said something strange. Something about a child. Which didn’t make sense since she was trying to kill me even though I’m not unfaithful…. Then it turned out she was scared of her kids’ ghosts so I dunno what to think._

_Anyways...hope you are doing okay. I love you, Gabe.”_

A tear fell from his eye that went ignored as he shifted in the seat one more time before falling asleep.

…

  
_A child?_ What did that mean? There was only one thing for it, Gabriel told himself. He would have to look in on Sam. After all Sam had nearly died, right? And Gabriel was allowed to be worried. Wasn’t he?


	5. Early Morning Drama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is actually hungry, and Gabriel makes a decision.

The early morning hours found the brothers in a diner that happened to be open that early. They weren’t far from the National Park Blackwater Ridge was located in. But when Sam complained of hunger Dean found the little diner.

Instead of sitting down to order Sam took off for the restroom like his pants were on fire.

When he came back and took a seat in the booth Dean asked, “Dude, you alright? Not still sick, are ya?”

Sam shook his head then thought better of it. “Kinda,” he admitted. Then in a near whisper, “But I just really had to piss sooo bad! It’s weird. I didn’t think I drank _that_ much.”

Dean snickered. “Dude! Have you _seen_ the amount of Gatorade you’ve been downing?”

Sam glared at his brother before pointedly picking up the menu to look it over. Dean chuckled and picked up his own.

When the waitress came to take their orders Dean ordered his usual grease laden breakfast.

Sam’s order had his brother raising both brows.

“I’ll have chocolate chip pancakes topped with whipped cream and strawberry syrup. Oh! And a glass of chocolate milk, please.”

After the waitress left Dean asked, “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Well, you just ordered chocolate chip pancakes. With whipped cream. I’ve never seen you eat something so sweet for breakfast. Not since we were kids, at least.”

Sam blinked and stared vacantly at his brother a moment. “Oh.”

“What?”

Sam sighed and looked down. He reached for his silverware and began unrolling it from the napkin for something to do. “Gabe...the guy...um….” It was so hard to say. His throat almost closed up. Sam took a deep breath before trying again. “Gabe used to eat that for breakfast. ...I...I saw it on the menu and I had to have it. Like a craving or something.”

Dean seemed to have nothing to say to that. To which Sam was grateful. As it was he was having a hard time not breaking into tears right there in the diner.

The waitress came back a couple minutes later with Dean’s coffee and Sam’s chocolate milk. Neither brother said anything for a while.

…

 

Gabriel couldn’t believe his eyes.

Sam looked awful. And that was being kind.

The tall man’s eyes looked sunken in and bruised. His face was much thinner than Gabriel remembered. Basically Sam looked exhausted and malnourished. That wasn’t all though. If pain, sorrow, and depression were a weight on his back then Sam would be Atlas trying to hold the world on his shoulders. Even as Sam laughed at something Dean said his shoulders were slumped and his back bowed.

It was a startling difference to the bright cheerful college student Gabriel had left behind nearly a week ago. Something in the archangel/pagan god clenched at the thought that Sam looked like this because of him.

Heartbreak and depression wasn’t the only thing that Gabriel had left behind.

Gabriel stood invisible in the diner watching the Winchester brothers eat breakfast. He also watched the itty bitty being with the itty bitty soul/grace combo. It was in roughly the same location it would have been in if Sam had a uterus.

 _Holy Dad!_ Gabriel and Sam had somehow created a child. A kid. Offspring. A human and angel child! A _nephilim!_ And the big Guy, Gabriel’s Father, the being known as God, was _allowing it?!_ (The implications of _that_ alone were astounding.) Gabriel probably would have fainted if he could. It was too much to handle. Too much on top of the heartbreak he had caused Sam.

It’s not the idea of raising a child that frightened Gabriel. He did have other children. All pagan gods though. Not a single one had angel in them.

What was frightening was that once upon a time God had ordered the nephilim destroyed. And then had outlawed their creation.

What was frightening was that Sam was supposed to be Lucifer’s True Vessel. With capital letters. As in a big deal. Just like Sam’s older brother, Dean, was Michael’s True Vessel. Gabriel’s oldest brothers were supposed to duke it out in some sort of Ultimate Battle with Earth as their battle ground. In all inevitability most of Earth would have been destroyed.

Gabriel had even run away from Heaven in the first place because of all the fighting. It was basically why he had left Sam when Gabriel had realized that he had fallen in love. He didn’t _want_ to see Sam corrupted and prepared to house Lucifer.

Now it looked like his Father was changing The Game Plan and Gabriel didn’t know how to handle that.

This time...this time Gabriel couldn’t runaway. This time he wouldn’t.

…

 

Sam’s cell phone chimed, letting him know he had a text sesame.

Which it shouldn’t have been doing at all. After the first barrage of concerned texts and calls from his friends when he didn’t show up for classes or scheduled plans Sam had powered his phone off. It had hurt too much to tell them what was wrong.

He had turned it back on before they hit Jericho, in case it was needed, and it had been; but none of his friends had tried to contact him since it’s been on.

So Sam was a bit confused, and a little wary, when he pulled the device from his pocket.

Dean gave him a questioning look.

Sam shrugged before looking at the phone’s screen. He could _feel_ the blood drain from his face.

 

 **From Gabe:** _Look up, Samshine!_

 

Sam was sitting on the side of the booth that's had a perfect view of the diner’s main entrance.

He looked up with no small amount of agitation. Anxiety _and_ nervous excitement coursed through his veins.

There Gabe stood, with a hesitant smile on his face like he’d come home late for dinner and forgot to call. Not as if he had completely vanished, without a trace, no sign that he had even existed except for Sam’s memories; leaving a heartbroken lover behind.

Sam was up and out of his seat, arm swinging, before he could even think.

When his fist hit more resistance than a human face was capable of Sam still didn’t regret the pain in his fist.

“Son of a bitch!” Sam swore at the pain of his hand as he clutched it to his chest. He couldn’t be sure it wasn’t broken. Then at Gabe, “You, _asshole_ ! You _vanished_! Then you randomly show up where I am? Like you’re late or something? Like you didn’t break my fucking heart?!”

Gabe reached out for Sam’s hand with a tisk. “Here. Let m-”

“No!” Sam cut him off and took a half step away so that his injured hand was a little further away. “No. You don’t have the right to be concerned.” Then as if some wall on a dam broke Sam’s throat closed up and his next words came out choked. “You lost that right when you lied to me and told me that nothing bad would happen.” Tears began to well up. “I came back to your apartment to find a box of my stuff outside the door and that my key didn’t fit the lock. Then when I picked the locked the apartment looked like you never lived there. At all.”

Whatever Sam’s face looked like, whatever he sounded like it caused Gabe’s face to crumple. “I’m sorry, Samshine” he whispered.

Sam shook his head. The tears were beginning to blur his vision. “You don’t get to call me that. You don’t get to do that, either.”

There was movement behind him and Sam knew it was his brother. “No, Dean. This is between me and him.”

There was anger in Dean’s voice. Sam was sure it was anger on his behalf. “If that’s the case then maybe we should move the drama elsewhere.”

It was then that Sam realized that the few people in the diner (besides themselves), the waitress, the cook, and the only other patron, were openly staring at Sam and Gabe. Sam’s cheeks flushed. “Uh. Yeah. We should,” he muttered.

The trio ended up at a picnic table at a park a block down the road. It was still too early in the morning for there to be anyone there. So they had it to themselves.

 _No witness for the drama that was going to go down, at least,_ Sam thought with relief and embarrassment. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been so embarrassed in his entire life to date. Not only had yelled at his ex-lover in front of Dean, among other witnesses, but he had practically cried, too.

The silence must have stretched on for too long for Dean because he growled, “You asked me to stay out of this, Sammy, but one of you better get the show moving. We do have a hunt to get to.”

And there was the guilt.

Sam shot his brother a glare. “Like I’ve forgotten.”

“Wendigo, right?” Gabe asked.

The brother’s stared at the man.

Sam’s ex-lover smirked. “I know all about the supernatural. I also know who you two are. And most of all, and I’m sure Sam will hate me now when I say this, but I knew who you were when we met at that frat party.”

Sam could nothing but gape at Gabe. “What?”

“What the hell do you mean you know who we are?” Dean snarled. Out of the corner of his eye Sam saw his brother reaching for a gun.

He put a hand on Dean’s arm to stop him. “Don’t, Dean.”

“Don’t worry about me, Sam,” Gabe reassured him. “No mortal weapons can harm me.”

Sam blinked at the guy sitting across from him as his hand fell from Dean’s arm. “What?” He repeated. It just wasn’t clicking.

Dean demanded, “What are you?” Sam’s brother still hadn’t drawn the gun he knew Dean had his hand on now.

The man Sam knew as Gabe had that twinkle in his eyes that he knew so well. The twinkle that used to make Sam smile ‘cause he knew something amusing would come of it. Sam was certain that nothing amusing, to Sam and Dean, would come of it now.

“Would you believe me if I told you I am the Archangel Gabriel?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this chapter was about as fun to write as I imagined :D And the party is _just_ getting started!


	6. Say What Now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bunch of bombs are being dropped and no one is really taking much of anything well. Least of all Dean. (no surprise there.)

Predictably Dean Winchester replied, sure of his words, “Angel’s aren’t real.”

Gabriel had decided to tell Sam the truth. If that meant Sam’s brother heard it as well...eh, fine.

Sam looked stunned, and still hadn’t reacted properly. So Gabriel focused on the older Winchester.

“If you insist on not believing, even though you know demons exist,” Gabriel countered, “then you can call me Loki, Norse God of Mischief and Chaos.” He beamed at the scowl on Dean’s face. Of course the older Winchester would believe  _ that _ over angels’ existence.

“That’s just great. Real freakin’ awesome!” The older hunter’s tone was dripping in sarcasm. “As if we need-” Dean cut himself off and leaned forward. “I don’t know how to kill you, but I’ll find out and will. You broke my brother’s heart. Real bad. I won’t stand for something like you messing with Sammy that way!”

“You can try,” Gabriel sneered. Dean wouldn’t find anything that would work. Nothing would, unless it was an archangel’s blade. And Gabriel certainly wasn’t giving up his because some human thought they needed to get revenge. 

Besides, it wasn’t like he didn’t regret pulling that stunt. Gabriel had thought it had been for Sam’s own good. Or that was what he had told himself. In reality he’d simply been scared. It was why he ever ran. If he couldn’t come out on top, he ran. People had called him a coward for it. Maybe he was.

Gabriel peeked over at Sam. The younger Winchester’s eyes were darting about, unseeing, as if he was busy slotting puzzle pieces together. Gabriel was sure of it. He’d seen that look on Sam a few times while the college student had been at his apartment working on homework. Sam would block out everything except what he was focused on.

Then, suddenly, Sam’s focus was narrowed in on Gabriel.

With a horrified whisper, “You heard all my prayers.” Gabriel nodded. Sam spoke next in anger. Accusing. “You  _ heard _ all my prayers!”

It was true. Gabriel nodded again. He was feeling chagrined about it, and didn't know what say.

Abruptly Sam's face turned green. And then the tall, gangly, young man was scrambling to get away from the picnic bench. Gabriel and Dean looked on in surprise and concern as Sam fell to the ground in his haste and proceeded to eject his breakfast.

Gabriel was at Sam's side in less time than it took to blink. The archangel knelt down on one knee and laid a hand on Sam’s back to rub soothing circles. He also sent a tendril of Grace through Sam; to smooth the nausea, wash away the vomit taste he was sure to have, and to heal the fracture Sam had gained when he punched Gabriel; which the archangel had deserved, but it had widened when Sam landed on that that hand.

Sam gave him a look that Gabriel couldn't interpret. “What did you do?”

_ How do you tell your male human lover, who you left cause you realized you’re in love, that he’s pregnant and you just found out yourself? _ Gabriel mused to himself.

“For the most part? I eased your morning sickness and healed your hand,” the archangel told Sam in all seriousness.

…

 

Sam stood and stared at Gabe. Or rather,  _ Gabriel. _ There was something about that statement that didn't fit.

The archangel stood and dusted off his knee.

Slowly Sam asked, “What do you mean morning sickness?”

From somewhere behind Sam Dean snickered. “What?”

Gabriel’s face was the most serious that Sam had  _ ever  _ seen it during their two week, too brief, relationship.

_ How the holy fu- Yeah, no. Gonna stop that thought right there. _

“C’mon, Sammy. He's pullin’ your leg! You just got some bug or other. It’ll probably be over in a day or two.”

Gabriel shot Dean a look. “I love a good joke or prank like the next guy. This isn't a joking matter.”

Sam’s brother didn’t seem to know what to say to that any more than Sam did.

Sam finally spoke up. “Dean, can you give us a moment. I need to talk to Gabriel alone.” He didn't take his gaze off of the being before him. His older brother grumbled, but Sam watched Dean comply as he stomped his way passed Sam and Gabriel towards the Impala.

When Sam was sure that his brother was far enough away he told Gabriel, “Part of me wants to make a joke about condoms, but I'm too stuck on the fact that you left me. Not just left. Vanished.” He crossed his arms across his chest in a weak attempt to feel protected. From what, he had no idea.

Gabriel winced. Then looked sheepish. “Would you believe me if I told you that I freaked out?”

“Did you know about…?” Sam couldn't say it yet. It would make it way too real.

Gabriel had no problem saying it. “The pregnancy?” He shook his head. “Not at all.” He took a breath and blew it out. “Maybe I've spent way too much time among humans, but I had more mundane fears.” Suddenly Gabriel's face was completely open. The fear showed. He swallowed, then, “I realized I was in love with you and...I didn't know how to handle that. I freaked. So I left. I shouldn't have...I realize that now.”

Gabriel was rambling. Sam stopped him.

Sam unfolded his arms, grabbed the archangel by the shoulders, pulled him to himself, and kissed Gabriel. The hunter didn't intended the kiss to last long, and it didn't. When it ended Sam dropped his hands and stepped back just enough to give them both space.

It was Gabriel's turn to stare.

Sam told the shocked archangel, “I love you too. Haven't stopped. Probably couldn't if I tried.” The words were soft. Gentle even. Then they turned hard. “But I'm pissed as Hell!”

Gabriel grinned weakly. “About the pregnancy?”

Sam huffed. “No. I honestly haven't processed that yet. I'm pissed at the way you left. Completely gone, without a good-bye.”

“Do you think you'll ever forgive me?” The words were hopeful.

Sam sighed. “Probably. I am the more forgiving Winchester.”

Gabriel laughed at that, truly amused at the statement. Sam couldn't help smiling, just a little, himself.

…

 

Dean was waiting, propped against the driver side of the Impala, with his arms crossed. When Sam and Gabriel?  _ Loki? Whoever, whatever…. _ When they got within range Dean demanded, “So what now? Are we going to go gank this monster or what? Or do you two need more time to sort your shit?”

Sam threw a bitchface at him. “Dean!”

Dean threw his own look at his little brother. “Well?”

“Yeah, we can go gank the monster.”

Dean pointed between his brother and the...whatever. “Does that mean you two are sorted? He can go back wherever he came from?”

There was the bitchface again. “Gabriel and I are ‘sorted’. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Gabriel, is it? Is that what we’re calling him?”

Gabriel sneered. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Dean snorted. “Not with your name, no. I’m not convinced you’re an angel, or that they’re real, either. My  _ problem _ is that you hurt my little brother.” He pushed off the car to stand straight. “My  _ problem _ is that you’re still here. My  _ problem _ is that, if what you’re saying is true and not a joke, that somehow my little brother, who is  _ male _ and shouldn’t be able to be, is pregnant with a...a….”

“The word you’re searching for is ‘nephilim’,” Gabriel filled in with a look on his face that Dean did not like at all. “It’s a child of a human and an angel. Normally they are forbidden, but for whatever reason Dad has clearly let the creation of this one happen.”

Sam and Dean stared at him.

Sam was the first to ask, “By ‘Dad’ you mean…?”

Gabriel nodded. “Yup! God with a capital ‘g’!”

Sam looked pale and a little wobbly. In two strides Dean was by his side steadying his brother. “Easy there, Sammy.”

Sam’s breathing began to become short and fast.

“I think he’s truly beginning to process it now,” Gabriel commented as he reached out a hand to Sam.

“Don’t you touch him!” Dean hissed. “Don’t you think you’ve done enough!”

“Dean, stop,” Sam’s voice sounded a bit weak. When Dean looked back at his brother Sam reached out with one hand to brace himself against Dean. The other hand kind of hung in the air. When Gabriel took it in his own Dean scowled, but didn’t say anything. Sam’s hand tightened on Gabriel’s like it was exactly what he wanted. What he needed. Dean didn’t like it, but….

When Sam was supported by both Dean and Gabriel his breathing actually began to ease. Which was good, because Dean hated seeing his little brother in such a state. Any time Sammy was in need of help or in trouble big brother Dean was always there. But what the Hell was he supposed to do against a magical angel pregnancy?

When Sam pulled away Dean let him. Gabriel squeezed the hand he was holding before letting go.

Gabriel looked from one brother to the other before settling on Sam. “I think I should stick around.”

Sam asked, “Why?” the same exact time Dean said, “No way!”

Gabriel eyed them both before replying, “I can help out with the worst of the pregnancy symptoms. Since Sam is male, and carrying a part angel child, no one, but my Father, knows what's going to hit him or how it’s going to affect him or the child.”

Neither brother could argue against that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kittyblack made a comment about Gabriel using a rubber (or condom), and I guess it got stuck in my head....


	7. The Evil That Devours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> S1E2: Wendigo, but with Gabriel. And a grace related pregnancy symptom/side effect for Sam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter should not have taken so freakin' long to write! (insert writer's frustrated scream) But it kept teasing me like a godforsaken wendigo playing with its prey!
> 
> On another note.... Some dialogue and actions have been taken directly from the episode. Mostly though...I rewrote it.

Blackwater Ridge was green, serene, and lovely. And should have been pure. But there was a darkness there, a smudge, an oily stain that would not be removed. Gabriel could feel it sliding against his Grace.

The wendigo was out there. Keeping out of sight. For now.

A part of Gabriel felt pity for the creature. Or rather what the creature had been once upon a time. It really was a pitiful thing. Humans lost in the wilderness that turned to cannibalism to survive. Driven mad, some tales said, by evil spirits to continuously devour human flesh.

And it was a near perfect hunter. Nearly. Wendigos were incredibly dangerous monsters, true. But their prey, as a species, was also dangerous. Of course, if it came to the attentions of Hunters, such as Sam and Dean Winchester, then the wendigo could be, potentially, taken down.

Of course, Gabriel could do it alone. Being an archangel, Messenger of God, the pagan god Loki, blah blah blah…. But there were three uninitiated, if one could go so far as to call them that, that had not a single clue that the supernatural actually existed. This included, but not limited to, the wendigo that took a certain brother whose siblings were a part of the group. And Gabriel wasn’t one for blowing his cover (accidental pregnancies with a certain Sasquatch Winchester aside). That did not mean that Gabriel wouldn’t help if, likely when, the time came.

It would be just _so_ much easier if he could fly away, deal with the monster and come back to the group, without the humans (not including Sam and Dean) noticing.

But Gabriel couldn’t just fly away and deal with the monster. He had to make sure that Sam and the itty bitty ball of Soul and Grace he was carrying were protected from the wendigo. And he couldn’t do both.

The hired guide was in the lead, which only made sense. He was followed by the sister and brother of a missing camper. At least _they_ thought he was missing.

The Ranger’s didn’t think Tommy Collins (and his friends) as missing. To their point Tommy wasn’t due back until the 24th. According to his sister, Haley, Tommy hadn’t checked in in a few days. So she and her brother were worried about Tommy and the others he was with. Rightfully so.

Pulling up the rear in a loose string was Sam, Dean, and Gabriel.

It was humorous. The three in the front thought that the three in the rear had no business hiking in the wilderness. When, truly, it was the other way around, for this occasion, at least.

So Gabriel, the one that looked least like he belonged in the forest, but the most powerful one there, took the rear of the group to make sure the monster didn’t try to pick them off from that end.

“Asia?” There is questioning disbelief in Dean’s voice as he broke into Gabriel’s thoughts.

“Huh?”

“You were humming Asia.”

“Oh. I suppose I was,” Gabriel mused. It was a habit he picked up somewhere. Something he mostly didn’t notice. He picked up a lot of quirks while hanging around humans over the many centuries the archangel had been hiding on Earth.

“You didn’t know you were humming? How could you not know?” Dean’s disbelief was clear in his tone.

Gabriel shrugged.

Sam chuckled quietly and looked back over his shoulder. “He did that a lot. The humming. Always some song or other. A few times there was this one tune that sounded...antient I suppose.” Sam shrugged a shoulder. His eye’s connected to Gabriel’s, a soft smile on his lips. “That one you mostly hummed at night in bed.”

Dean groaned loud and obnoxiously. “I so did not need to know that!”

The three at the head of the group glanced back.

Dean grimaced. “Sorry. Don’t mind me,” he tried to grin disarmingly. It didn’t work, but the others did turn away again.

After a short minute Dean asked, still in disbelief, “You listen to Asia?”

“And Van Halen, The Beatles, David Bowie, and Beyoncé. Now there's a peach!” At the look on Dean’s face Gabriel added, or clarified, with a smirk, “Yes, I listen to and appreciate music. I'm not a heathen.” The smirk turned into a grin. “Except maybe in bed.”

Dean glared and stomped off passed Sam.

“Do you have to do that?” Sam asked as he let his stride slow enough so he was walking next to Gabriel.

“Do what?”

“Antagonize my brother.”

“But it’s fun!” Gabriel smirked, “He makes it too easy.”

Sam sighed. “Yeah, I get that. But-” The sentence was cut off with a gasp, but not from Sam.

Haley gasped at the utter destruction of her brother’s campsite. Everything was either broken or in shreds. And most of it was covered in blood.

The guide, Roy, commented, “Looks like grizzly.”

The area _was_ populated by grizzlies. It wasn’t a farfetched idea. It was actually more likely an explanation than a wendigo having done it. That was, of course, if there hadn’t been signs (if one knew what to look for) of a wendigo, and if the very wendigo that did this wasn’t at that moment tracking their movements.

Gabriel could feel it out there. Waiting. Watching. Hoping that the archangel/pagan god would drop his guard. It likely didn’t know what Gabriel was. Not truly. He kept himself too under wraps for that. Likely it _did_ sense that he was a big bad Power. Most other beings, that were strong enough to sense such things, only saw the pagan god. Exactly how Gabriel liked it.

The group, for the most part, spread out a little to look around.

Haley dropped her pack and starting calling Tommy’s name. Sam went after her in long strides to hush her. Neither of which would do any good. The wendigo already knew they were there. Gabriel would have let Sam and Dean know, but he hadn’t had a chance to do so discreetly. Usually he wasn’t much of one for discretion...but he did know that their was a time and place for everything.

Sam put a hand on the young woman’s arm to stop her from going further from the destroyed camp. “Shh-hh-hh.”

“Why?”

“Something might still be out there,” Sam stared into the forest.

Haley turned away to search the camp for clues or any sign of her brother, that he was still alive. One thing even Gabriel couldn’t tell her.

Sam and Dean had their look around then came back to where Gabriel stood watching the others.

Dean said softly, so that only Sam and Gabriel could hear, “This was definitely a wendigo, if dad’s journal is anything to go by.” Ignoring the fact that Gabriel had already confirmed for them that that was what case was about. “This _has_ to be why he wanted us to come to here.”

Sam gave his older brother a bitchface. “Yeah. I’d say.” Then to Gabriel, “It’s here, isn’t it?”

Dean gave Sam his own look, this one was as if Sam had said something strange.

“Why do you say that?” Gabriel asked, though he suspected the answer.

“I dunno, really. I just sort of feel like we’re being watched.” Sam shuddered. “It’s really creepy.”

Gabriel nodded in confirmation, to answer Sam as well his own suspicions. “That would be the nephilim’s influence on you. Morning sickness is a human symptom. I suspected there would be less mundane symptoms as well.”

“Hey!” Dean cut in, still in a quiet tone. Thankfully. “We don’t need to be talking about that here and now.”

The archangel smiled at the older Winchester in a way he knew didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re right, but I thought your brother ought to know.”

“To get back on topic,” Sam glared at both of them. “It’s here, watching us?”

Someone called from the forest, “Help! Help!”

Gabriel told the brothers, as the other three of their group ran towards the sound, “Yes. Yes, it is. And we need to go make sure that it doesn’t separate any of us.” The archangel put a hand on either brother and turned them towards where the other three humans were taking off towards.

When the group got to where they thought the voice came from...there was no one.

 _Of course,_ Gabriel thought, _the wendigo is trying to separate us._ Which it just might be able to do unless the archangel/pagan god took matters into his own hands. It was one thing to let a group of humans know, or find out, about the supernatural, but a complete other topic in letting on about himself. The way things were going he might not get a choice.

“But it sounded like it came from here. Didn’t it?” Haley looked for reassurance.

“We need to get back to the camp,” Sam said suddenly.

When they did they all saw that their stuff was missing.

“Our packs!” Haley gasped.

Roy squatted down next to where he had set down his own supplies. “So much for my GPS and satellite phone.”

“What the hell is going on?” Haley demanded.

“It’s smart,” Sam told her. “It wants to cut us off so we can’t call for help.”

Roy straightened up and turned to Sam. “You mean someone, some nut job, out there just stole all our gear.”

“Looks that way,” Dean confirmed. “We need to set up camp. It’s getting dark and this thing is a good hunter in the daylight, but an unbelievable one at night.”

Haley and her brother, Ben, exchanged nervous glances. Roy scoffed, but agreed that it was getting dark.

…

 

The group sat around the fire as Dean drew Anasazi symbols around them for protection. Gabriel added his own protection, unseen by all the humans. Just to be thorough.

The archangel/pagan god stood up from his seat on a fallen tree and went to check on Sam as Haley questioned Dean.

“How are you doing, Sam?” Gabriel asked as he sat by his favorite Winchester.

The tall hunter gave him such a look that even Gabriel had a hard time reading.  “You know, you’re making it really hard for me to stay mad at you with all that concern I can clearly see on your face.”

Gabriel grinned. “That’s great then! Then i don’t have to put my dastardly scheme of wooing you into motion!”

There was a gleam in Sam’s eyes that wasn’t caused from the firelight. A corner of his lips rose upwards. “Oh. I dunno about that. You still have to make up for…” the words trailed off.

The archangel sighed. “I suppose I do.” He knocked his knee against Sam’s. “Seriously though. How are you feeling.”

Sam grimaced. “A bit nauseous. Thankfully it hasn’t really bothered me since you,” he waved a hand as he looked for a word. “What you did this morning. But, well…. I’m honestly more worried that I can _feel_ something out there. Something….”

“Not quite right?” Gabriel guessed.

Sam nodded. “Yeah.” He took a breath and asked, “You say that’s the…” Sam eyed the others and let the sentence trail off.

Gabriel knew what he was referring anyways. “Yeah. That’s my genetics...about as close to it anyways... peeking through.”

Sam raised a bow at that. “Then there will be...more?”

“Yup.” Gabriel eyed their companions and twitched a finger. “There. I made it so everyone thinks we’re discussing something more mundane. The more the fetus develops the more its grace will interact with your soul.” At the taken aback look on Sam Gabriel hastily went on. “ I only know that much from what’s going on now. And I’m not one hundred percent if it’s lasting or not. I wasn’t there when the original set of nephilim were created. I mean I was _around_ of course. Simply not around any of the pregnant humans. Certainly wasn’t one of the parent angels.” Gabriel grimaced at the memory of receiving the order to kill the nephilim. Why have Gabriel destroy the ones so long ago when no such command was coming now?

“So…” Sam hesitated. “You really don’t know what’s going on then or what to expect?”

“Nope. Not at all.”

“Can’t you ask someone.”

Gabriel deflated. “Not really. My family...well, I ran away. Didn’t want to deal with Mikey and Luce fighting. Then the whole stick the rebellious sibling in the Cage happened and I left. And, honestly, I’ve done pretty well on my own I like to think.” He shook his head. “Even if I did go and ask...well, I’m not sure I’d get an answer. Dad left right before I did, and he was the one that gave me the order to...um...let's leave it at I don’t think there is anyone that could give us any answers.”

Sam was quiet for a moment and Gabriel was unwilling to add anything right then.

Even if he knew what else to say at that moment the wendigo didn’t give him the chance.

“Help me! Please!” A voice called out from the dark.

Gabriel dispelled the conversation distorting magic he had put up and went on high alert. He stood and told the group at large, “It’s here. Don’t go beyond the protective ring.”

Everyone else stood as well. Sam took a flashlight out of a pocket and shined it out towards where the voice came from. Dean readied his gun.

Roy readied his own even as he asked with disdain, “Inside the magic circle?”

Dean looked like he wanted to roll his eyes, but refused to take them off the darkness surrounding them. “Yeah. In the magic circle. It wants to draw us out and the circle is the only safe place.”

The call for help came again. This time no one moved. That seemed to frustrated it a bit, causing it to growl.

“Okay,” Roy said, “That’s no grizzly.”

The chaos began then.

The wendigo must have become impatient, because even though it _could not_ penetrate the circle it _could_ come to the edges. The wendigo streaked by scaring the group.

Haley screamed.

Roy fired his gun. Once. Twice. A third time and there was an inhuman screech.

“I hit it!” Roy exclaimed and went after the monster. Just as it wanted.

“Roy! No!” Dean called after the guide. But it was useless Roy wasn’t listening. “Roy!” Dean tried again. When that failed to stop the other man the hunter turned back to the group and pointed to Haley and Ben. “Don’t move!” He ordered before taking off after the guide.

Gabriel could hear Roy yelling in the distance. Then sensed his death. He must have made some face because Sam looked at him in question. Gabriel shook his head. That was all the younger hunter needed. Sam’s face became grim.

“I’ll go check on them,” the archangel told Sam aloud. “You stay here and protect the civies.”

Before Sam could reply Gabriel pulled the hunter down, gave him a quick kiss and a wink, and left the protective circle.

He didn’t have to go far to find Dean. the older Winchester was already on his way back.

“Roy disappeared,” the hunter remarked grimly.  Dean knew better. Even he suspected the man was dead.

“The wendigo got to him,” Gabriel confirmed. “You go back to your brother and help protect the other two. I’m going after the wendigo.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Dean protested. “Let’s just-”

“Dean. C’mon. It can’t hurt me. And I’m not going to let it hurt anyone else.” Gabriel sighed. “I wish I could have taken it out earlier, but….”

“Look. I think I understand. Sam and I try to keep people in the dark as much as we can. So if you can take this son of a bitch out...well, then maybe I can forgive you for breaking Sam’s heart. Just a little.” Dean’s lips twitch into a smile on one end.

…

 

Sam could feel, or sense, or whatever it was he was doing...but he knew where the monster was and it didn’t come back to the camp. Several times it felt like it got closer, but never like it had earlier. It was more as if something kept driving it away from the group of humans. The hunter was fairly sure that it was Gabriel out there keeping the wendigo away. After all, the archangel had yet to come back after going to look for Dean. _Dean_ had returned bare minutes after Gabriel had kissed Sam and left, but hadn’t, himself, returned.

Hours had passed.

Haley and Ben, after some convincing, found a decent spot, not splashed with blood, and fell asleep.

Sam and Dean stayed awake. Sam was sure his brother did because Sam refused to sleep. Not until he was sure…. Sure that Gabriel was safe. That the monster was ganked. Until they were all safe.

The younger Winchester couldn’t be sure that it wasn’t his nerves making him nauseous. Most likely it was the badly named morning sickness. But his stomach turned at the thought of Gabe out there fighting the monster. Nothing helped the idea. Not even the thought that Gabe really wasn’t a mundane human. Never had been.

Ten, all of a sudden, the monster was gone. He sat up straight. Sam couldn’t feel it against his senses any longer.

“What’s the matter, Sammy?” Dean asked, voice concerned.

“I...I can’t feel it out there anymore.”

“What?”

“I don’t know if the wendigo’s been ganked...or….”

Dean looked like he understood. “Or if whatever was going on with you earlier when you could sense it is gone?”

Sam ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah. That.”

Dean leaned back against the log. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. In the morning we can go and look for Gabriel. Or maybe see if we can find the s.o.b’s lair and see if we need to gank it ourselves.”

“Yeah. Alright.” Sam slumped back against the tree stump he had been resting against.

…

 

Dawn means and brings many things.

Soft sunlight brought hope to Blackwater Ridge. It washed over trees and campers and gifted them with birdsongs; a sound that had been missing for the area for several days.

The soft sunlight brought hope to Haley and Ben that they would see their brother again.

The new day brought Sam to a decision. If he got to see a certain being with golden hair and whisky eyes then he’d allow himself a new start. The morning before had given him a taste of what he had missed. It had also brought surprises in a way that he thought impossible. Things he could hardly bring himself to think about, true, but maybe not bad. Unless a certain being vanished into the night…. Well, that didn’t bare thinking about. But _if_ that were to happen...he hoped his brother would be there for him and the- No. He wasn’t ready for those thoughts.

The new day brought Dean not a whole lot. Nothing, but worries. Surprisingly, or maybe not so, his thoughts ran along similar lines as his brother’s. With one addition. He wondered where their father was and what John would make of the matter. That was, of course, if John would even believe it any better than Dean did. Not that he was sure that he did. But, as he glanced at his little brother, he couldn’t help but wonder if what the archangel/pagan god said was true. That Sammy really was pregnant with a...a...half-human/half-angel child. Sam _had_ been sick for days without actually being truly sick…. Dean mentally shook the thought away. It wasn’t something he wanted to think about sober.

The dawn seems to mean something besides new days, decisions, and hope.

For one particular dramatic being it means a dramatic entrance.

As the sun rose to shine its light down on a broken camp that four humans used to bunker down the night before a certain archangel/pagan god and a certain missing camper walked through the trees. Cries of surprise and joy rang out.

While the Collins siblings had their reunion the Winchester brothers rose from their seats a little slower.

The brothers grinned.

Dean proclaimed with a slap to Gabriel’s back, “You did it, man! Awesome!”

Gabriel chuckled. “I don’t know whether I should bask in the praise or grumble at the indication that you doubted that I could!”

Sam chuckled. “Take the praise.”

Dean’s grin fell a notch or two as he eyed the Collins siblings. “The wendigo is ganked?”

Gabriel nodded solemnly. “Yeah. The bastard gave me more of a runaround than I expected. But I got him in the end.”

“Good,” Dean proclaimed. “I take it there were no other survivors.”

Gabriel shook his head this time. “My best guess is that,” he nodded in Tommy’s direction, “his friends all died before we even walked past the treeline.”

“Let’s get them and ourselves out of here then,” Sam stated. Something they all agreed on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. I hope I never have to write the word wendigo again.


	8. Some Things That Need To Be Said

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Dean has a few drinks to accompany his thoughts Gabriel and Sam have a talk.

Once Sam, Dean, and Gabriel were sure that the Collins’ were safe off the ridge, and had a decent understanding of the supernatural world, and how to protect themselves from certain creatures, the trio were quickly on their way; to anywhere else.

Dean voted for Denver and it’s overwhelming (in comparison to where they were leaving) civilization. Sam couldn’t protest. Gabriel didn’t get a say, not that he deserved one, yet. But he wasn’t protesting either.

A few hours later puts them on the outskirts instead of the city’s center. There was a motel and a bar, enough for the Winchesters to decide to stop. Dean proclaimed he needed a drink and Sam as too tired to care.

When Dean came back to the car with two keys instead of one Sam lifted a brow at his brother.

Dean coughed and tossed a key. “Um..yeah...I figured the two of you probably want some time alone...or whatever. I’m gonna go get that drink.” He shoved his hands in his jacket pocket and shuffled off towards the bar.

It was close to noon, but Sam didn’t begrudge his brother right then. Under any other circumstances he might have joined Dean in that drink.

Sam looked down at the tacky key-ring with the room number, then up at Gabriel. He had to give credit to his brother. Dean may not be into ‘chick flick moments’ but knew when they were necessary or needed for others. His big brother wasn't  _ completely _ blind to what was going on around him. Sam did need a moment alone with Gabriel. Even if it wasn’t for the implied reasons.; or what he thought his brother was implying.

…

 

Gabriel was as nervous as Sam looked. They both knew they needed to talk about things. Yeah, they had talked some the morning they headed up to Blackwater Ridge; but there was too much that needed saying for one conversation. Too much that Gabriel knew he would need to explain. Eventually. Much of which Dean would have to be there for those topics of  conversation came up. The rest? Like the emotional shit storm that Gabriel had caused because he thought he was doing the right thing? That was no one’s business but Sam’s and Gabriel’s. And the whole nephilim thing…. Gabriel knew it would be awhile before Sam worked through that one alone.  _ Gabriel _ hadn’t fully come to terms where their half-human/half-angel child was concerned.

The poke to his ribs jolted the archangel/pagan god out of his thoughts.

“I rather not stand here all day,” Sam motioned towards the row of motel rooms with the hand that held the key.

Gabriel nodded in agreement, but asked, “Are you hungry? We can get some food and take it back to the room if you want.”

Sam grimaced. “I am, but I dunno if I can hold it down.”

“Hmmm,” Gabriel scratch at his jaw absently. “What have you been able to keep down so far?”

Sam made a face. “Crackers and Gatorade mostly.” Then a slight blush graced his cheeks. “I was doing alright with the chocolate chip pancakes, well, until you arrived then I got all nervous, and agitated, and pissed, and like a bunch of other things all at once…” The hunter chuckled weakly. “I think I might have kept them down otherwise.”

Gabriel couldn’t keep the grin off his face. He just had to tease Sam, “Was there whipped cream and strawberry syrup?”

The blush upped a few notches. “Maybe.”

The archangel/pagan god laughed hardily.

“Shuddup,” there was a smile on the hunter’s lips as he said it. Sam walked to the back of the Impala, unlocked and opened the truck. When he had his duffel Sam shut the truck and lead the way to the motel room.

“I can snapped you up some pancakes,” Gabriel offered as he followed.

Sam lifted a shoulder in a shrug as he unlocked the door. After Gabriel entered he shut the door and said, “Maybe some fruit.” The hunter dumped his bag by the farthest bed before turning to face Gabriel. His brows were drown down. “What do you mean ‘snap up’?”

The archangel/pagan god demonstrated. He snapped and a bowl of sliced fruit appeared on the battered table the room was provided with.

Sam blinked a few times before spearing a strawberry with the fork that rested beside the bowl. A look of surprise blossomed across his face. “Oh. That’s good.” Without another word the tall hunter sat down and ate his fruit.

Gabriel sat in the other chair and watched. Normally he would have snapped up something sugary for himself, but didn’t feel the need just then. He was content to watch the man he loved.

…

 

Sam pushed the empty bowl aside and finished off the water Gabe had littler snapped up. He had snapped and the bottle of water had appeared next to the bowl of fruit.

The hunter set the empty bottle down and looked at his companion across the table. “So...yeah… that's gonna take awhile to get used to.”

Gabe raised a brow. “That would be…?”

Sam gestured to the bowl and bottle. “That. That you can literally snap and have things appear.”

Gabe smirked. “I don't actually have to snap. That's for dramatic effect.”

“But that whole,” Sam gestured again kind of lost for words. “I mean….” He slumped a bit. “There is just no nice way to say this.”

Gabe raised that brow again but made a ‘go on’ motion.

Sam made a face. “It just shows me that you aren't who I thought you were. That you aren't even human!” Open mouth, insert foot. His words picked up speed. “Not that I care about that! I'm not like my father! I actually don't think everything is black and white like him….” Sam trailed off not knowing what to say. How to make it better.

He didn't have to. Gabe burst out laughing.

“I'm still the same person, Sammose!” Gabe grinned. “The only thing different is I've stopped hiding all my phenomenal cosmic powers.”

Sam’s lips twitched into a smile he couldn't hide. “You just quoted Aladdin.”

Gabe waggled his eyebrows. “And  _ you _ know what it's from.”

Sam laughed. “Yeah, but in my self defense I was a kid when it came out.” Then he sobered. “To get back on topic…”

Gabe gave a dramatic sigh. “If we must.”

The hunter was having a hard time keeping the smile off of his face. He'd missed Gabe so much! Yeah, it had only been a few days, but it had really hit Sam  _ hard _ . 

The remembered pain must have shown on the hunter’s because Gabe grimaced, then his own face fell.

“I  _ really _ screwed up, and I don't know how to make up for it.” The archangel’s voice was as full of pain as Sam had felt. That spoke more to him than words.

“I want to say that everything is alright now that you're back. But I can't.” Emotion tried to choke Sam up, but somehow he held it back. When Gabe's face fell further he hurried to say, “I'm not saying that I don't want something with you, because I do. Like I said before: I love you, and I don’t think I could ever stop.”

A weak but hopeful smile formed on Gabe’s lips. “So I still have a chance?”

Sam smiled softly. “Yeah. That's one of the things I wanted to talk about.” He was rewarded with a larger smile. A happier one. Sam attempted for stern, but failed in the face of all that happiness facing him. “I will need you to be honest with me. Especially considering...um...well...uh….” He just couldn't say it. “Um...but that's not why I what another go at us,” Sam shifted in his seat feeling uncomfortable at the idea that could be the reason for them being together. It occurred to him then that it could be for Gabe. The hunter gave the archangel a shuttered look. “That's not why you came back, is it?”

“What? No!” But his eyes shifted before he admitted, “I did check to see if your ghost’s suspicion was correct.” Gabe throat like he was swallowing something difficult.

Before the archangel could say anything more Sam said, “Fair enough.” He was trying to keep calm on the topic, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Tears pricked his eyes and his throats tried to close. Sam cleared it before asking, “Would you've come back otherwise?”

Gabe was up and out of his chair in an instant to squat down next to the hunter, placing a hand on Sam's knee. The archangel offered mixed reassurances. “Oh, Samshine...I don't know. I keep telling you I screwed up. And I did, badly. I hurt myself just as much as I hurt you. That's no excuse. I have no excuse.” Gabe paused and took a breath. “Your brother should hear this...but I'll tell you now. I thought leaving was for the best and that eventually you'd be alright.” 

When Sam opened his mouth to say...something, Gabe squeezed his knee and told him, “Hear me out.” Sam nodded. He could do that. 

Gabe continued once he was satisfied. “Heaven and Hell has plans for the both of you. You and your brother.” The archangel’s eyes searched Sam's, then said, “I found out through the grapevine a long time ago.” He took another breath. “I never planned on becoming attached. I'm an immortal being, yes, I  _ can _ die, but only with the right weapon. Which means I would,  _ will, _ be here a long long  _ long, _ time after you're gone. With that in mind and knowing what's been planned for you… I...didn't want to stick around to see that happen.” Here the archangel took a few painful looking breathes. “You see...an angel just can't come down to Earth and hang out. We're kinda like demons in that regard. Angels need a, well, there is no good word for it. A vessel. A human that can contain an angel’s grace. The thing, the stuff, that makes us us. Unlike a demon an angel needs permission. And not every human can hold an angel or even just any ole angel. You and your brother were designed, through a long guidance of bloodlines, to contain my two eldest brothers.”

Sam had no words for what he'd just been told. So he sat there and blinked at the archangel.

…

 

Gabriel was a little concerned. Yes, he did just dump a load of information on the poor guy. But he expected  _ some _ sort of reaction, at least., Sa

On the up side Sam didn't look like he was about to cry anymore….

The archangel/pagan god sighed. “C’mon, Sam, ya gotta say something. Imma getting nervous here.”

All at once the hunter came alive. Not loud or emotionally. Sam was calm. Not like angry calm or even emotionless calm. Just a calm manner and tone.

“What am I supposed to say to that, Gabe? I'm still processing that angels are really real. I mean...I've always believed. But there's belief and knowing.” Sam ran both hands through his hair. He dropped his hands and looked back at Gabriel. “Then you tell me that because of Heaven’s and/or Hell’s manipulations me and my brother are supposed to be some sort of...meat suit...for your older brothers. That would be who? And why?”

Gabriel's shoulders slumped, but he stayed where he was. “Michael and Lucifer. You are  _ supposed _ to be the vessel for Lucifer.”

Sam caught onto his word choice. “Supposed to?”

Gabriel could feel his face as it became hard. His voice did too. “I will do all that I can to not let that happen.”

The hunter furrowed his brow. “Why'd they go through all the trouble though?”

“Because of events that happened eons ago.” Gabriel gave Sam a look. “I'm sure such a smart hunter such as yourself, someone who knows quite a bit of lore, can figure it out.” He smiled a little to show he didn't mean anything by the statement, other than to be teasing.

One corner of Sam's mouth turned up to show that he took it the way Gabriel intended. Then it fell as he worked out what the archangel had said.

“Oh.” Gabriel watched as the hunter processed. Then, “Fuuuuuck….”

A minute or so later Sam pulled the car keys out of his pants pocket and handed them to Gabriel with the words, “When Dean comes back looking for them give those to him for me. I need a shower and a few hours of sleep. By then we can all go get something to eat. Well, if Dean is too drunk I'll still need something to eat. After that we can figure out where to go next in our chase for our dad.”

Then the hunter put words to action, dug through his duffel for clothes, and headed for the shower.

It happened about how Sam predicted. Dean came back drunk, but seemingly functioning, looking for the car key so he could get his stuff from the car. Then four or five hours later the Winchester brothers convened for food and to discuss their missing father’s trail.


	9. Planes, Panic, and Pregnancy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean gets a call from someone he and John helped once in the past. Dean, Sam, and Gabe help out. Dean and Gabe end up on a plane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things of note:  
> 1, case chapters are gonna be longer than the others.  
> 2, I'm not going over every episode. Just the ones I think pertain the most to my telling of things.  
> 3, I'll consider any request y'all would like to see in the story.  
> 4, I'm ecstatic that y'all love this fic so much!!!  
> 5, I've never ever been on a plane.
> 
> The new tag for Panic Attacks is for one that happens in this chapter.

As far as Gabriel can figure Sam was about eight weeks along...or the equivalent there of...if he were a woman; or at least an uterus.

It was nearing six in the morning and Sam already had gotten more sleep than the first two nights (combined) Gabriel had spent watching the hunter since joining the brothers. Of course Sam had complained about the archangel/pagan god watching him sleep when he realized what Gabriel did all night. Not that Gabriel actually had anything else he rather be doing than making sure Sam was safe. Not that Sam thought that there was anything that he needed protecting from that the hunter couldn’t do himself.

True.

Mostly Gabriel monitored the fetus, actually.

The archangel found the development of the itty bitty bundle of soul and grace fascinating. Angels weren’t born, and this would be the closest thing to it. That and what parent wouldn’t be fascinated with the development of their own child?

Gabriel looked at the sleeping man on the bed.  _ Well, okay, perhaps someone who hasn’t yet come to terms with the idea. _

Surprisingly it was  _ Dean _ who had come to terms with Sam’s pregnancy first of the two brothers.

Right around that thought there was a knock on the motel room door.

Sam sat up, which looked to be a mistake, because barely two seconds later Sam was dashing for the bathroom.

Gabriel held back his amusement. Yes, Sam was sleeping more, but the morning sickness was worse. And a few other symptoms had developed as well.

The archangel got up from his seat, walked to the door, and let the older Winchester in even as the sounds of vomit hitting porcelain could be heard.

Dean cringed at the sound. “Dude, can’t you mojo that away or something.” The older brother not only had come to terms with his brother’s pregnancy, but also Gabriel’s constant presence, and his ‘angelic ass’ (as Dean put it).

Gabriel made a face as he shut the door. “I would, but after that first moment he gets up  your brother claims it’s, I quote, ‘not so bad’, end quote.”

Dean made a derisive noise to indicate what he thought of that. Gabriel had to agree.

Sounds of water, and what must've been Sam rinsing his mouth, could now be heard from the bathroom. It would still be a few more minutes until the pregnant man emerged. Dean and Gabriel took seats at the table to wait.

Sure enough the rest of Sam’s new morning routine began.

First came the morning’s need to vomit as soon as Sam sat up in bed. Which meant that he needed to rinse his mouth. But then the pressure on his bladder (which may or may not be cause by the developing child) needed to be relieved. Followed by Sam finally coming out of the bathroom, only to fetch his toothbrush and head back into the bathroom to brush his teeth; which was simply good hygiene, and of course, to rid himself of the vomit taste.

Gabriel would have asked what Dean was doing there so early in the morning on a day they didn’t have a hunting case, but the answer would only be one of two things. And either of those two things would have called for Sam’s presence anyways. So the human and the angel waited for Sam in silence. Not out of animosity or anything, but that they just didn’t have anything to say.

Once Sam came back out, teeth clean, he rooted around in his bag for clothes.

“Sammy, I’m really starting to think you’re becoming a girl!” Dean’s tone was teasing. But Sam’s back went stiff.

“Dean,” Gabriel stage whispered, “I don’t think you should have said that!”

The realization dawning on the older brother’s face was priceless! It had Gabriel giggling.

Sam straightened up, glared at his brother, then turned the heat on Gabriel.

“Yikes!” The archangel/pagan god flinched at the powerful glare. “I haven’t seen the like of a glare like that since…” Gabriel trailed off. Nope. Immortal being he may be, but even _he_ knew when not to mention an ex-lover to the one you are trying to…. _Re-woo?_ _Was that a thing?_ As quick as Gabriel and Sam had gotten together the first time it was slow going now. Not that Gabriel was bothered by that at all. After all, he _had_ screwed up big time. If Sam wanted to take things a little slower...Gabriel could live with that. Would live with that.

“Since?” Dean prompted.

The older hunter’s voice jolted the archangel back to what was going on around him.

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

Dean eyed him, but thankfully let it drop.

They lapsed back into silence until Sam came out of the bathroom, for the third, and  _ maybe _ , final time.

Sam sat down on the bed after dropping his sleep clothes on top of his duffle. “Alright, Dean, whatcha got?”

“This guy dad and I helped out a couple years ago called me asking for help. Said he wanted to talk about it in person.”

“Alright. I’ll get packed and we can go,” Sam stood to do just that.

Gabriel shook his head. “Not until we get some food in you. You need to eat, too, Dean, if you haven’t already.” A month had passed since the archangel join them and in that time he had seen just how shitty the brothers took care of themselves. 

Dean rolled his eyes “Yes,  _ mom _ ,” the hunter said in a mocking tone. “We can stop to eat before we go.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright. If they have fruit then I can handle that,” Sam said.

Gabriel gave the pregnant man a look. “Sam. You need to eat more than that.” The archangel absolutely was not scolding. Dean rolled his eyes again. Sam did as well this time.

“Would it get you off my back if I ordered pancakes? I think  _ maybe _ I can keep that down.”

In the end Sam was able to keep down the pancakes, and a glass of water, as his older brother recounted how he and John took care of a poltergeist for Jerry Panowski.

…

 

A handful of hours later, a little longer than it should have taken, had them in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania at the hangar where they were meeting Jerry. Gabriel agreed to let the brothers talk to Jerry without him, with promise to ‘behave’. The Winchesters had learned in the past month that the term ‘behave’ could only be applied loosely to archangels that went around masquerading as pagan gods of chaos and mischief.

As Sam met Jerry Panowski, a short balding man, for the first time he was feeling more than a little self-conscious.

Especially so when Jerry told them, “Thanks for making the trip so quick.”

They could have been there sooner. If Sam hadn’t made Dean stop so freaking often just so he could take a piss. It was getting ridiculous. The frequency of it. Three times! Three times he had had to pee so bad that he thought he was going to burst! But the worst part was that he barely had to actually piss! Just a sort of...tinkle. All in all it was embarrassing. And it had been going on for a full week! Gabe was no help, either. The archangel had only told him that it would only likely get worse.

The hunter as grateful that he hadn’t had to vomit. Not once. Even with the increased nausea. 

More and more it was becoming increasingly obvious that Sam was what Gabe had proclaimed him. Pregnant. Even if the signs weren’t there he really should have taken the word of the Archangel Gabriel, Messenger of God, the very same angel that made the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary.

Sam Winchester, formerly a pre-law student at Stanford, a hunter of the supernatural, was pregnant with a child that was half-angel.

There was a buzzing in his ears and he was having a hard time breathing. Sam couldn’t get enough air.

“Sammy?” Dean’s concern came was faint and far away.

“Is he alright? He doesn’t look too good.”

“Sam, what’s the matter?”

Sam couldn’t answer. The air was pumping in and out of his chest too fast. It wasn’t staying long enough to be of any use.

“Dean, that looks like a panic attack.”

“Sam! You gotta breath, man!”

Sam shook his head. He knew that. But he couldn’t. He just couldn’t get his lungs to work and his chest was starting to hurt from the lack of proper oxygen.

There was a hand on the back of his neck applying pressure, encouraging him to move closer to the floor. Once he was squatting with his head between his knees the hand on his neck became comforting.

There was a sound of wings and then another hand, this one was on his back rubbing soothing circles.

“Samshine, listen to my voice.” It was Gabe. His voice was as soothing and comforting as his hand on Sam’s back. “I know you’re freaking out. But I’m here. Dean’s here. We’ve got your back. You aren’t alone in this.”

The ache and burn in Sam’s chest began to ease in degrees.

“That’s right, Samshine. You can count on us.” Gabe’s voice became softer so only Sam could hear. “I’ll let you on a secret. I’m not as calm about this whole thing as I’ve been making you guys think.” That got Sam’s attention. He turned his head enough to meet Gabe’s eyes. The Archangel nodded. “Yup,” He continued in the same soft, calm, whisper, “I’ve had a few other children, but none are half-angel.” Sam’s eyes widened in surprise even as he began to breath easier. “What do I know about raising an angel baby? Angels aren’t born. We’re made. Fully formed. Fully functioning. So there is no growing, no playing, no teething, and definitely no diapers. It won’t be anything like the offspring I had as a pagan god either. With them, too, there isn’t a whole lot of raising to do with demi-gods.”

As counterproductive as Gabe’s words might seem they actually calmed the pregnant man down. It was actually comforting to Sam to know that he wasn’t the only one that had no idea how to handle this new experience that neither of them had ever dreamed of having to go through.

All the rest of the time the brothers talked to Jerry Gabe stayed close to Sam. Something which Sam was silently grateful for.

…

 

Later in the day they were in a motel room discussing what they learned so far about the case.

The EVP voice proclaiming ‘no survivors’; the conversation with Max Jaffe (a survivor of United Britannia flight 2485) and the black eyes and super strength he ‘ _ thought’ _ he saw, the very reason the poor guy had checked himself into Riverfront Psychiatric Hospital; and then the conversation with the widow of George Phelps, the man Max had witnessed open the emergency hatch mid-flight.

Sam looked over at Gabe where he was sitting on the bed. The archangel looked grim. Instantly Sam decided that it was not an expression he ever wanted to see on Gabe. Ever again. The hunter had a feeling in his gut telling him that that hope wasn’t likely to come to pass. Not if the archangel stuck around the Winchesters. And Gabe had yet to act like he was going to leave their company any time soon. (Something Sam was pleased with every time he saw the archangel there in the morning.)

“You have an idea what this is, don’t you?” Sam finally asked.

Gabe nodded silently. It was several seconds more before he graced them with a vocal answer. “This whole case has the stench of a demon on it. I’d betcha a ship full of Dean’s favorite pie that if I took a look at that plane wreck there’d be sulfur all over it.”

“Demonic possession?” Dean asked. He looked as grim as Gabe did. At Gabe’s answering nod Dean said, “We don’t usually deal with that sort of thing. And besides...why does a demon even want to crash a plane?”

Gabe shrugged. “What do any of them want? Death, chaos, and destruction.”

Sam spoke up. “Well, according to Japanese beliefs, certain demons are behind certain disasters, both natural and man-made.”

Gabe made a face. “That’s actually true,” he confirmed.

“That’s just great!” Dean grumbled in frustration throwing a hand up. “We get the demon that causes plane crashes.” The hand came back down and he rubbed his face with it. “Awesome.”

…

 

Dean’s phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out, wondering who it could be, but mostly hoping it was his father. It had been a month since Dean had gone to California to get Sam and they still hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the man.

It wasn’t a number he recognized, but that wasn’t unusual. “Hello?”

“Dean, it’s Jerry.” The little man sounded down. Like he wished he wasn’t making the call. Not something Dean could blame him for. Nothing good could come of the phone call.

The hunter refused to let the disappointment show or leak through. “Oh, hey, Jerry.”

Dean didn’t have to wait to find out what put the tone in Jerry’s voice. “My pilot friend...Chuck Lambert is dead.”

See? Nothing good. “Wha- Jerry, I’m sorry.” And Dean was. It always sucked to lose a friend. “What happened?” He had a feeling he already knew. A theory he hadn’t yet shared with his brother and Gabriel.

“He and his buddy went up in a small twin about an hour ago. The plane went down.”

“Where’d this happen?” Dean asked

“About sixty miles west of here, near Nazareth.”

Dean murmured under his breath, “I’ll try to ignore the irony in that.”

“I’m sorry?” There was now confusion in Jerry’s tone.

In a normal tone Dean replied, “Nothing. Jerry, hang in there, alright? We’ll catch up with you soon.” The hunter hung up and shoved the cell phone back into his pocket.

“Another crash?” Sam guessed.

“Yeah. And I think I know what’s going on. That EVP said ‘no survivors’, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, then this son of a bitch is taking out the rest of the survivors from that flight.”

In a flash Sammy was looking for information on the five they had left to protect. They already knew Max Jaffe wasn’t likely to be getting on any more planes for a good long while.

About an hour later Sam ended his fourth phone call. “Alright. That takes care of most of them. None of them seem particularly keen on traveling by airplane anytime soon. Not that I blame them.”

“That leaves Karen Walker. The flight attendant,” Gabriel put in.

Dean asked his brother, “Didn’t you say that her sister told you that she has a flight at eight?”

“Yeah,” Sam confirmed. “From Indianapolis. It’s her first flight back on the job.” He looked at the alarm clock on the night stand. “We’ll never make it on time.”

Gabriel stood up, fists on hips, a grin on his lips, and a twinkle even Dean could see in his eyes. “Have no fear!” He proclaimed. “Your friendly neighborhood archangel is here!”

When the hunters only looked at him in confusion he rolled his eyes. “I can fly us there in an instant.”

That gave them time to grab some dinner. Something Dean couldn’t complain about.

…

 

When they arrived at the airport Sam clutched to Gabriel a moment before putting a hand to his mouth muttering, “I think I’m gonna vomit.”

Gabriel did a quick scan, found the restrooms, and pointed Sam in the correct direction. The tall hunter dashed off. Gabriel followed at a slower pace as Dean said something about checking the flight boards.

Right as the archangel reached to push open the door to the men's room he received a message from Sam. It wasn’t a prayer, but the evidence on the newest angelic symptom. Gabriel wasn’t sure, but he thought it had more to do with the connection their child gave them. He was almost sure that if other angels were around Sam wouldn’t be able to talk to them telepathically as he could with Gabriel.

_ ::Gabe...if it comes to it...I don’t think I should be getting on any planes….:: _

Gabriel pushed the door open and walked into the restroom. “Samshine?”

“Over here,” came the weak reply from the handicap stall.

The archangel found the pregnant man kneeling beside the toilet bowl ejecting bile.

When Sam was done he tried to smile, but it was more like a grimace. “I don’t think traveling Angel Air agreed well with me.”

Gabriel winced. He reached out a hand to rub soothingly along Sam’s back, sending out a tendril of grace to wash the sickness away. Then, even though they were alone in the restroom, he said, “I don’t think that’s what made you sick, exactly.”

Sam stood with a frown. “Thanks, but what do you mean?”

“I think jelly bean,” Gabriel gestured to Sam’s lower stomach, where the fetus buzzed happily, “liked the ride.”

“Jelly bean?” Sam raised an inquiring brow.

“That’s the size if the itty bitty bundle.”

“Oh.” The pregnant man’s face changed from puzzlement to wonder. Then Sam’s face brightened like the sun rose. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off before he could.

Gabriel could have killed whoever walked in.

Dean walked in with a frown on his face. “You girls gonna spend all night in here? Amanda’s flight leaves in less than thirty and I couldn’t stop her with a fake call about her sister.” When he saw the irritation on the archangel he snapped, “What?”

“Nothing,” Gabriel snapped back. There was no way he was going to let on that Sam and him almost had a moment over the baby. Dean would just tease them mercilessly.

“Dean, I think you and Gabe will have to get on that flight to take care of the demon,” Sam stepped out of the stall to say.

“What do ya mean we gotta get on the flight?” Instantly Dean’s face had morphed into fear. Something Gabriel had yet to see.

“I mean that Amanda Walker, the flight attendant, will be boarding that plane and so will the demon and  _ that _ means that the whole plane of people will be in danger,” Sam told his brother firmly.

“But-”

“But what?”

Gabriel smirked. “I think Deano is afraid of flying.”

Dean paled. “Maybe…”

Sam sighed. “I’m sorry, but you two will have to get on that plane, Dean.”

“Wait. What do you mean….” Dean’s gaze shifted between his brother and the archangel. Then he seemed to realize why they were all standing in the men’s room at all. “Oh.”

Sam nodded. “Yeah. I would likely be useless and stuck in the bathroom the whole flight.”

“Shit,” Dean cursed under his breath with feeling.

…

 

Watching Dean board the plane would have been highly amusing for Gabriel if he wasn’t too busy scanning for the demon. So far he was having no luck. Somehow the slimy black sucker was hiding from him. He couldn't sense it. He knew it was there. It just hadn’t shown it’s fugly self yet.

_ It probably hadn’t taken a meat suit yet, _ he decided. For some reason demons were harder to track in their incorporeal form.

Several minutes later, sitting beside a nervous fidgety Dean, the archangel decided he didn’t like flying the way humans did it. For one thing it was entirely to cramped in the uncomfortable seats. For another, there were too many bodies in such a small space.

They had forty minutes from takeoff to find the demon and deal with it is a manner that wouldn’t draw attention. This was not going to be fun.

Dean leaned over and whispered, “Any luck yet on finding out black-eyed friend?”

“No,” Gabriel whispered back with a pout.

“Any ideas on how we should take ‘em down?”

“None whatsoever. Too many witnesses for smiting.”

The hunter stared a moment. “That’s an actual thing?” Dean asked in disbelief.

“Yes, it is. Where do you think lore even comes from?”

“Badly written bibles?” Dean snarked.

“Good point,” Gabriel replied as he went back to scanning the plane.

It wasn’t until fifteen minutes before time up when Gabriel finally found the demon. The pilot stepped out of the bathroom...and there it was.

With no better plan he flew to appear right behind the pilot, wrapped one arm around him to hold him steady and unable to get away, and laid his other hand on the poor sap’s forehead. In seconds the demon inside was dead. In another he was beside Dean, laying a hand on the hunter’s shoulder, and flying them back to the airport where Sam was.

Dean staggered away from the archangel as soon as they landed. “Dude! Why’d you do that?!”

Gabriel glared. “Because I took care of the demon in a showy way and had to get us out of there.”

Once Sam had recovered the shock of seeing them appear in the motel room he asked, “What about the other people on the plane?”

Gabriel shrugged and slumped into an empty chair. “They’re safe. They’ll think what they will. Likely make up some story about a freak accident and write the whole thing off.”

“Did you have to do it that way?” Dean accused.

“I honestly didn’t see any other choice.”

The older hunter harrumphed. “At least it’s over and I’m off of that awful plane.” Dean walked over to the door, “I’ll see y’all tomorrow. I’m gonna go get some shut eye.” With that he was out the door and gone.

Once the door clicked closed Sam patted the bed next to himself. The younger hunter was dressed for bed, but was sitting up with the laptop balanced on his knees. Now he closed the computer and set it aside on the night stand.

Gabriel sat in the indicated location. “What’s on your mind, Samshine?”

Sam smiled gently. “You and,” he laid a hesitant hand on his lower stomach. “You and the…” He looked up from his stomach to the archangel. Gabriel held a breath he didn’t need and waited for whatever Sam had to say. “I did some thinking while I was alone...and I think I can get used to being…” he took a deep breath, “pregnant. As long as you’re here with me.”

Gabriel only had time to grin before he was pulled into a breath stealing kiss.

That night, after far too long, he spent with Sam wrapped in his arms humming an old angelic lullaby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there is anything I need to tag feel free to let me know!


	10. At The Carnival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel decides the gang needs fun. So they go to the carnival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I dunno if anyone is paying attention to the tags... I've added a few new ones. I _could_ blame CrowNoYami for seeding the idea...but I can't. I was already thinking about adding in some Norse characters. CrowNoYami simply helped the seed grow and this happened sooner than I expected. But that's fine :D

Gabriel had been right. 

The trio watched the news in Sam and Gabriel’s shared room. The headline of the morning was the co-pilot’s supposed ‘internal spontaneous combustion’. The newscaster discussed it like it was the only reasonable explanation. Thankfully they didn’t show any pictures as it was considered ‘too graphic for viewers’. But they did accurately describe the burnt out eye sockets and liquified internal organs.

The archangel winced as he turned the t.v. off. “I say we take a break from all this boring hunting stuff and go do something fun!”

Dean rolled his eyes, but took the bait. “Like what?”

Gabriel grinned. “Like maybe the carnival? I saw signs saying one was in town.”

Sam and Dean did their silent conversation thing; all lifted eyebrows, shrugging shoulders, head tilts, and entertaining facial expressions.  _ Who needs telepathic communication when you have body language? _

After a moment the brothers were nodding.

“Alright,” Dean told him. “We can do the carnival.”

“Yes!” Gabriel fist pumped the air. “Treats are on me!”

…

 

As soon as they found a place to park and Gabriel was out of the car he proclaimed that he needed cotton candy. Dean rolled his eyes while Sam smiled like an indulgent parent. 

But when they found the vendor Dean asked for blue and Gabriel asked for pink. When he asked if Sam wanted any the younger Winchester said he was good. Although as soon as the archangel had the paper cone in hand with it’s cloud of pink sugar Sam was right there tearing off chunks.

Gabriel gave Sam a look. He knew how much Sam loved his healthy food, but in the past month, on several occasions, he’d seen Sam eat sweets as if he had no idea that he was even doing it. Not just chocolate chip pancakes (one the first things they had discovered Sam could easily keep down), but also candy and sweet drinks.

At one point Gabriel had pointed the change out to Dean only for him to respond with a grin and a “Yeah, I’ve noticed. I didn’t want to point it out to him so I could see how long it’d take the rabbit to figure out that he’s gained a sweet tooth.”

Most of a month had passed and Sam still hadn’t noticed.

Sam caught him watching. He had a hunk of candy halfway to his mouth when he asked, “What’s the matter, Gabe? You’ve been staring at me for three solid minutes.”

The archangel grinned and leaned up to peck a kiss on the tall man’s cheek. “Nothing’s wrong, Samshine. I just love watching you.”

Sam blushed, looked away, and finished putting the cotton candy in his mouth. However, he did wrap his free arm around Gabriel. They walked liked that for awhile until the archangel saw a giant stuffed toy he just  _ had _ to win.

…

 

Gabe had started bouncing on his toes and pulling Sam along by the hand towards a booth that had rifles so people could shoot targets. One of the obviously rigged games. It took a moment to figure out why the archangel would even  _ want _ to play the game. When he followed Gabe’s line of sight the hunter groaned. Gabe was fixated on a overly large fluffy purple unicorn.

The hunter pulled his lover to a halt. Gabe pouted when they stopped moving.

Sam’s face softened. “Gabe, you know as well as everyone that these things are rigged.”

“So,” the pout was in full swing.

Sam sighed. “Can you do it without using mojo?”

The pout turned into a glare. “I do know how to do things the mundane way. Or did you forget that…” He trailed off looking guilty. Sam was not lost on where that thought had been going; or why Gabe had trailed off. They both still had a hard time talking about the wonderfully amazing two weeks they’d had together before Gabe had vanished. When he spoke again it was gentle. “Everything I did when you were in my company was not for show.” Then the mischief was back in his eyes. “I  _ do _ have a few skills gained the old fashion way. That is besides cooking, of course.” There. There was the smirk that was never too far from those lips.

Gabe paid the three dollars, picked up what was sure to be a rigged gun, and took aim.  _ Ting. Ting, ting, ting. Ting, ting. _ Six metal pellets hit their target, and the carny was handing over the unicorn.

When they met up with Dean again, Sam wasn’t even sure when they had split up, his brother was, of course, flirting with a beautiful woman.

Dean broke off mid sentence as they walked up. His eyes were wide in horror as he stared at the stuffed animal. “Oh,  _ Hell _ no!” The woman turned to see what he was staring at and giggled.

Admittedly Gabe did look silly with his arms full of purple unicorn. Sam hadn’t been able to stop smiling at the sight.

“Where do you think that’s gonna go, Gabe?” Dean asked in a flabbergasted tone. He waved a hand at it. “It looks like it will take a whole seat to itself!”

“No worries, Deano! I’ve got that covered,” the archangel winked.

The woman giggled, laid a hand on Dean’s arm, whispered in his ear, and walked away. Whatever she said put a large grin on Sam’s brother’s face.

A half hour or so passed as the three of them walked around eating carnival food. Funnel cakes, candied apples, soft pretzels, and corn dogs. Sam sipped on lemonade, Dean had a few beers, and Gabe had found a stall selling hot chocolate. It was one of the few signs Sam had seen that anyone in the state, as of yet, seemed to actually realize that winter was on the way; other than the Christmas decorations he’d seen everywhere, of course.

Actually Sam was having a hard time with the fact that it was already December. A hand drifted down to his lower stomach without conscious thought. The Winchesters didn’t usually celebrate Christmas. Usually too busy with hunts. Even when they were children…. Sam sighed and tried to shove the thought away.

One thought persisted.  _ Maybe with Gabriel things could be different. _

…

 

Somehow Dean got stuck with the damned purple unicorn. It barely even looked like a unicorn. More like a bloated deformed marshmallow with a white ‘mane’ and a silver horn.

He huffed as a pair of hot chicks walked passed, giggling at him he was sure. He tried to tell them it wasn’t his, but they just laughed harder.

The hunter glared at the Ferris wheel Gabriel had dragged his brother on. Okay. Sam hadn’t been dragged on, really. But it  _ had _ taken several minutes of Gabriel reassuring the pregnant man that it was alright.

Dean wasn’t sure when it had happened but in the last twenty-four hours Sam had, at least outwardly, come to terms that he was, in fact, pregnant.  _ Maybe since the airport _ , Dean tried to pin the moment down. It had been more than a queasy stomach that made his brother decide to hang back from getting on the plane. Whether his little brother realized it himself or not, that was left to be seen.

The older Winchester  _ had _ spotted his younger brother laying a hand to his stomach more than a few times. Dean thought it was largely an unconscious gesture. And he was sure as Hell wasn’t going to draw attention to it.

It also hadn’t passed Dean’s notice just how close Sam had gotten to Gabriel. It was one thing to know in theory that they had been a couple...even if it was a short time. Or to know that his little brother was carrying the archangel’s  _ child _ . But for the past month they hadn’t at all been the slightest bit coupley.

A lot of that Dean knew was because Sam hadn’t been completely over what Gabriel had done. Dean and Sam didn’t need to talk about these things for him to know. Just like no one needed to tell Dean that Sam and Gabriel were fixated with each other. For Dean the past month had been like being stuck in a day time t.v. drama (not that Dean knew a thing about that), but without the drama, and only with the longing glances when the other thought they weren’t looking. It was sickening. If something hadn’t happened, and by all appearances it had, Dean would have done something soon. Whatever  _ had _ happened...Dean was simply grateful that it had.

A big burly hairy blonde guy came along and propped a hip on the same piece of temporary metal fence Dean had been leaning against as he waited for his brother and Gabriel.

“Nice unicorn ya got there,” there was a slight accent to the words.

“Holding for a friend, Dean grumbled as he shifted it to hold the monstrosity under an arm.

“You don’t say,” the guy smirked. Dean narrowed his eyes at that. The way the man smirked looked awfully familiar.

Silence feel as the burly dude didn’t say anything else. Instead the man shifted his stance and watched the Ferris wheel.

A minute passed and another man walked up. This one was also blonde, but it was paler, and he had a short cropped beard. He was as tall as the first, but less broad, but there wasn’t anything small about him either. He held two corn dogs in one hand...and the other was a prosthetic. All the way up to the elbow.

Dean watched out the corner of his eye as the second man walked up to the first.

“Fen,” the second man chastised the first, “you know I don’t like it when you stray from my sight.”

Fen huffed as he took both corn dogs. As he did so his sleeve moved to reveal a wide silver cuff on his wrist. “You saw exactly where I was going, Tyr.”

Dean could not tell if Fen was trying to reassure a jealous lover or a controlling one. Whatever it was the two were obviously close...without being obvious about it. The hunter sifted and wondered if he could tell at all because he’d been watching Sam and Gabriel dance around each other for a month.

The minutes passed as the three of them watched the Ferris wheel spin.

At one point Dean thought he heard one of the two blondes murmur, “Are you sure he’s here.”

“I’m sure.”

Huh. That didn’t exactly sound like someone looking for a friend in a crowd or to meet one at a certain location. More like the type of looking for someone that the someone doesn’t know that anyone is looking for them. Nothing came of that sort of looking.

Not that it was any of Dean’s business. Of course. But he was glad he was rarely without a weapon. Even in an innocent looking location such as the carnival.

Finally Sam and Gabriel walked out of the exit of the Ferris wheel. Walking hand in hand and smiling.

Dean rolled his eyes, but he was happy if his brother was.

…

 

For more years than Fenrir frankly wanted to think about, he has known that his father, Loki, God of Chaos and Mischief, had a much older name and title. Gabriel, Archangel of the Lord, Messenger of God. A being of two theologies.

The wolf grinned widely at the sight of his father. It had been too long since they had seen each other. It was, unfortunately, something that happened often amongst the gods and their immortal offspring.

And by the smell of it Fenrir would have a new sibling to celebrate soon.

As he rushed to his father he saw Loki’s eyes widen happy surprise. He picked the shorter man up in a hug and swung him about before setting him back on his feet. 

“ _ Pappa! _ I’m so happy I tracked you down before the solstice!” Fenrir glanced at Loki’s human mate. He lowered his voice, but it was still loud enough for those around him to hear. “I think I startled your mate,  _ pappa _ .” To the human he said, “My apologies. It simply has been too long since I’ve seen him and I was enthusiastic.”

“You great big mutt!” Loki grinned as he thumped his eldest on the chest. “More like overly enthusiastic!” Then his brow wrinkled. “Mate?” He glaced at the human at his side. And blushed? To his son he said, “Um...we haven’t….”

“ _ Pappa _ ...don’t give me that nonsense. You know my nose is the best in all the Realms.”

Fenrir was treated to a surprise. He had never in his long life ever saw his father, Loki, speechless.


	11. Unaware

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's an invite to celebrate the Winter Solstice. And Sam and Gabe talk about some things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...apparently non case chapters can be long too. I really hope this one doesn't come off as drawn out. I was just doing what the Muse demanded.  
> Oh! And, one other thing, I've seen so many fics where Gabriel knows everything about what's going on. And I decided to take that idea in a different direction.

Before Gabriel could even begin to process what his son had told him Sam was darting off towards a line of Port-A-Potties. Then his field of vision was being overwhelmed by purple.

“Here’s your damned unicorn,” Dean huffed. “If you want to go on another ride, either take it with you or stow it up your-”

“I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you, human,” Fenrir growled. “You may be the brother of my father’s mate, but I won’t tolerate such offensiveness.”

Gabriel chuckled as he laid a free hand on his son’s shoulder. “If you think _he’s_ being offensive then you clearly haven’t been rubbing elbows with humans long or often enough.” He chuckled again. “Besides he hasn’t said anything worse to me than he has to Sam, his own brother that he cares more about than...well...himself I think.”

Dean reddened. “Shove it where the sun don’t shine,” he muttered.

Fenrir didn’t respond to Dean’s words this time, but did look thoughtful.

Sam hadn’t been gone long and now he was already walking back. _Looks like the carnival is sitting well. Maybe I should point that out._

Not then and there, no. First he wanted to figure out what Fenrir was talking about. Because it was one thing to be unaware that he had gotten Sam _pregnant_ , but a complete other mess to not know that the two of them were _mated_ . How could _anyone_ of Gabriel’s caliber not be aware of a something as powerful as a _bond_?!

As Sam rejoined the group and Gabriel’s side the archangel/pagan god did some mental figuring...going all the way back to that first intense night.

…

 

Sam wasn’t really sure what was going on.

Everything was fine, but weird when he had dashed to the portable toilets when he suddenly felt like he was going to piss his pants.

Now he was back and Gabriel had gone pale. What was said in the two or three minutes while he’d been gone?

The hunter was about to open his mouth to voice his concern when the second blonde, the one that hadn’t spoken until now, said, “I believe this is a conversation that should be held elsewhere. We are getting a few too many concerned looks for my liking.”

Sam looked from the two blonde men to Gabe. He nodded. “Yeah. I think you’re right.”

“Where would that be?” Dean snarked. “Our motel room is too small to fit so many of us comfortably.”

The blonde man with the prosthetic arm, who was of a height with Sam, gave Dean a look that held an edge of amusement. “A temporary location would be better than where we are now. Perhaps if we moved to your vehicle? The designated parking area would have less witnesses.”

Sam’s older brother stared at the man a moment before scoffing. “Dude! Who even talks like that? Well, other than you two?” When it looked like he would actually get an answer Dean interrupted. “Ya know? I don’t actually want to know.” He pulled his car keys out of his pocket and gestured with them. “Baby’s this way,” he told the group before leading the way.

Sam gave his lover a worried look. Gabriel was still pale and looked like he was in shock. With a worried frown he took Gabriel by the hand. “I don’t understand what’s happened,” he told the archangel, looking him directly in the eyes. “But if I can come to terms with being pregnant...well...nothing,” he gave the hand in his a reassuring squeeze for emphasis, “that could only bring me closer to you could be bad.”

The archangel’s eyes refocused. “Can you promise, Samshine?” The tone in the words and the searching eyes told Sam that whatever he said next would break everything they had. It had only been the night before that they had become a couple again.

Earlier that same night Sam had thought more than about being okay with being pregnant as long as Gabe was there; but that he didn’t want anything to separate them ever again. Now he had Gabe, and archangel or pagan god, or whatever, Sam was going to keep a hold of the one he loved. The one that sent electricity coursing through him, in the best way, at how much love he felt from the short golden haired being.

So it was those thoughts in mind that had the hunter smiling and placing a chase kiss on Gabriel’s lips. “I promise.” He tugged on the hand in his. “Now, let's follow Dean before he decides he’s better off getting laid.”

That got the chuckle Sam was looking for as the color returned to his lover’s face.

…

 

They got to the Impala and the blonde man with one hand materialized a piece of paper and handed it to Gabe.

Sam and Dean stared at him. Yes, they had gotten used to Gabe doing a few things here and there, but that hadn’t gotten them comfortable, necessarily, with someone else doing it. However, it said how far the Winchester brother’s had come that all they did do was stare.

Sam had never felt right with hurting someone - monster or human - that hadn’t hurt someone else. No matter how he had been taught, by his father, once he had found out about the supernatural world. It simply felt wrong to him.

Dean, on the other hand, had been the good son. The one to do as their father said. No matter what. If John had told Dean that something needed ganking...well, then Dean ganked it.

That was until they found out that Gabe was Gabriel, the Archangel. ...and Loki. The first of which might have stopped Dean more than the second. Neither aspect would have deterred Dean from killing Gabriel/Loki if he thought he needed to for revenge on Sam’s behalf.

Sam _knew_ all this.

That’s why he was relieved when all his older brother did was stare at the blonde man with one hand that _materialized a piece of paper._

Then things fell into place as the scene played out.

As Gabe took the bit of paper the one handed man said, “This is the address Fenrir and I are staying while were are here, in Midgard.” He eyed Sam and Dean before saying, “You and your mate are welcome.” He glanced at Dean once more, then added. “I can sense a deep bond between these two siblings. They have both done what they believed to be justified. Especially the older brother where it concerns your mate. He, too, will be welcome.”

The larger blonde man, who was also as tall as Sam, but broader, smirked. _Fenrir_ , his mind filled in. _Eldest of Loki’s three children by the giantess Angrboda._

The pregnant man felt his eyes widen as he was suddenly very aware that he was pregnant. A hand, without conscious thought, settled on his stomach. _Sam_ , a human, a hunter, was _pregnant_ with this...being’s...father’s child.

Golden eyes shifted to Sam. There was a softness there that hadn’t been there before.

“Be at peace, Sam.” The words were low and rough, but soft as his eyes. “You are family now. My father’s mate. You have nothing to fear,” his eyes shifted to the other blonde, who Sam realized must be Tyr if lore was anything to go by. Which said that Tyr was the Norse God of Law, Justice, and War. “By me at least.” The words drew Sam’s attention back to the man before him. “And since he has welcomed you into our house himself then you have nothing to fear from Tyr, either.”

Sam didn’t really know how to reply to any that. So instead he said, “You said you could smell that were are...mated?”

Fenrir nodded and hummed his agreement to the quasi question. “If you are wondering if I can smell the child growing inside? The answer is yes.” The words were as gentle as they had been since the man had begun the conversation with Sam. “You are not far along, but they are growing healthily.” Then a large warm hand rested gently on his shoulder. “I hope to see _pappa_ and you at the house for Winter Solstice. Take care, Sam.”

Then the large man and the one missing his right hand left. And the world around Sam filtered back in.

When the hunter looked to Gabe he was smiling like he understood a shared secret. “Fen really does have a presence about him, doesn’t he? Has you so focused on him that you don’t even see what’s next to you. It was why the Norse pantheon, not including your’s truly, was so afraid of him that they wanted to chain him down.”

“So the lore is true?” Sam asked.

Gabe shrugged with a mischievous smirk. “Enough of it.”

Dean snorted. “I bet. Can we leave now? There is a bed in motel room calling my name and maybe a burger from a drive-thru.”

Sam looked around then. The sun was setting. “I didn’t realize how late it was.” He yawned through the last word.

“Alright. Let’s get both of you some food and a bed,” Gabe suggested as he opened the passenger door for Sam before opening the rear door for himself.

Sam gave him a look. “Don’t think I haven’t forgotten that we need to talk about what-”

Gabe cut him off with a wave. “Yeah, yeah. I’m not likely to forget _that_ any time soon.”

…

 

Can an important conversation be started with ‘I didn’t _know_ ’? Or ‘How was I to know that that’s how it was done’? Or how about ‘I didn’t know that _that_ even _could_ happen’?

How is one supposed to explain to their lover/maybe boyfriend that they didn’t know that they could even get their male partner pregnant? Or that that first intense (heavy emphasis on intense) round of amazing sex would make his grace dance with the other’s soul and then proceed to explode in the most intense orgasm ever. Ever, as in _ever_! As in all of their immortal life span of eons! And that previously mentioned gracegasam created (somehow without one’s knowledge) a mating bond and likely when the pregnancy started….

How does anyone start that kind of conversation?

Apparently a conversation like that was started by looking utterly bewildered.

Sam put down his fork and took the last sip of his milkshake. Cup set aside, and take out salad dish pushed aside, Sam crossed his arms on the table and leaned forward.

“I’m not upset,” he sounded reassuring. Why was he doing that?

“What? Why would you be upset about anything?” Gabriel spoke in a rush.

Sam’s lips twitched. “I can clearly see that you’re freaking out about what Fenrir said. About us being mated. And by the look on your face you had no clue that it even had happened.” Sam leaned back in his seat. “Now _that_ part I’m curious about. That you didn’t know. About us being...mates or whatever. You also said that you hadn’t known I was pregnant...before you left….”

Gabriel shook his head. “No. I hadn’t known about either. The mate bond or the pregnancy.”

Sam nodded his head once. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah. As in okay, I accept that you didn’t know. But did you know it _could_ happen?”

Gabriel made a face. “The pregnancy? No, not with you. All my other children were conceived with a female partner every time I was male.”

Sam’s eyes widened and he leaned forward again. “Wait. Wait. Are you telling me you _actually_ gave _birth_ to an eight-legged horse?”

The archangel/pagan god waved it off. “That’s just one of my pagan powers. The awesomeness to be able to shift shape. It’s really no big deal.”

The hunter snickered. “Okay, fine.” When Sam sobered a bit he asked, “So no male pregnancies?”

“Nope. It’s not even a thing I’d heard of before.” Gabriel smirked. “Unless you count sea horses. I always did think that was brilliant.”

That elicited a smile. “Okay. Fair enough. So...about the mate-thing?”

Gabriel shrugged. “That is one of those things that all angels _knows_ is possible, but no one had _done_. At least that I’m aware of. No one had mated to anyone one else, angel or human, before I ran away to the pagans, at least.” He grimaced. “I’m pretty sure between the nephilim and the mate-bond I’ve broken a few rules. But Dearest Pops, wherever He may be, seems to be alright with it.”

Sam raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

“Just that. If Dad didn’t want a thing to happen then it wouldn’t. Even if He isn’t obvious with His presence, and let’s be honest here, He hasn’t spoken to anyone since Luci was tossed behind bars. I mean don’t get me wrong. There has been clear evidence that He pokes around now and again. How else would I know to go talk to a chick about her up and coming immaculate pregnancy? I’ve got to tell you about that at some point. There I was in the middle of an epic prank on Thor and I get this feeling that I _had_ to be half a world away to tell some dame named Mary a thing.”

Sam looked like he would bust a gasket, he was holding in his mirth so hard. Then he snickered and said, “Alright. That’s a valid point.”

Gabriel watched as Sam put the pieces of their discussion on some sort of order that made sense to the hunter. His eyes darted back and forth unseeing.

Then, when they focused on Gabriel, Sam said, “Okay. So. What does the mate-bond entail?”

The archangel shrugged. “Honestly? I’m not sure.” Sam opened his mouth to perhaps ask another question, but Gabriel interrupted. “Like I already said: it’s a thing that every angel knows is possible, but no one’s done. I didn’t even know _how_ it happened. Yeah, yeah, I can guess, but two things happened that night. You remember when I told you to close your eyes that very first time?”

Sam nodded silently.

“Well, that was when. There was a _lot_ more going on then mind blowing sex that night. _I’d_ never _ever_ experienced anything like that. No big flashy finishes before. I suspect that’s when you became pregnant _and_ we mated. So if there’s been any tattle tell signs I’ve missed them in the ones I thought were caused by the pregnancy. All I really know, besides that it was the best sex I’ve _ever_ had, was that my grace and your soul interacted, but I was too caught up in the experience to pay a lick of attention.”

This time it was the archangel’s turn to shift in his seat. He leaned back from the table and waited for a reaction.

Unexpectedly it was the same one he had been getting from the beginning of the conversation. A calm reply of, “Okay.” Then Sam said, “About Winter Solstice. Dean and I really don’t do Christmas, really.”

Gabriel busted out laughing. In part from amusement, but largely relief. What did he do to get such an amazing human being in his life?

He stood up, walked around the table, pulled his pregnant mated up out of his seat, and thoroughly kissed him. “C’mon, Samshine, let’s go to bed. We can discuss that with Deano tomorrow.”


	12. Interlude 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel might have been clueless to the creation of his child, but it did not go unnoticed by others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brenna1918 sparked of an idea. This is the beginning of the shape of it. While I figure out what's going on with Sam, Gabe, and Dean I can at least give you these little interlude chapters.

Gabriel might have been clueless to the creation of his child, but it did not go unnoticed by others.

I would love to say that it was the spark of such a powerful life being created that caught their attention. I would love to say that the four beings that took notice were happy at the creation. After all new life should be celebrated, shouldn’t it?

Sadly, only one being took note of the creation of this new life and took joy. For, of course, it was by His design and His will that the new life came about. Why wouldn’t He be happy? ...even if He was originally the one that outlawed the creation of nephilim…. 

But never mind that. That’s not important right now.

What  _ is _ important is that Gabriel’s three older brothers didn’t feel the creation of this new life. No, they felt things  _ shift _ . To them it felt like everything, all of Creation, took a big step to the left.

It left Gabriel’s brother’s unsettled.

Down in Hell, as far as one could go, in the Cage Lucifer sent out as much of his power as he could and whispered to a certain demon.  **_“Find the True Vessels! Something has changed!”_ **

Meanwhile, in Heaven, Raphael appeared by his older brother’s side. 

Before he could so much as open his mouth Michael nodded. “I know. I felt it too. I’ve already sent Zachariah to check on the True Vessels. If anything has happened to changed Father’s Plan so greatly it  _ must _ be with them.”


	13. Interlude 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zachariah and his demon counterpart report what the change is.

The demon Lucifer whispered to decided he needed to see things for himself. As did Zachariah. This was a matter deemed too important for delegation. They both thought, separately, that if Lucifer and Michael could they’d be investigating the matter themselves.

When both beings found the Winchesters, separately, they were glad they came themselves. One look at Sam Winchester and the demon and the angel knew exactly how serious that matter was.

After all, a baby nephilim was no where in the Great Plan to getting The Apocalypse started.

The demon and the angel reported back to their respective archangels at the same time.

The archangels were told, “Sam Winchester is pregnant.”

Lucifer and Michael had the same immediate reaction. Shocked silence. Raphael wasn’t any better off. The younger archangel was so disgusted at the notion of a human male being pregnant that he could not vocalize his reaction.

Then the concept of Sam being pregnant truly set in.

The two eldest brothers, in their perspective realms, asked the same question at the same time. “With what?” The question was asked with a hard voice, but for different reasons.

Sam Winchester, beings Lucifer’s True Vessel...well...Lucifer was the possessive sort. Sex was one thing, but pregnancy had a way of changing the body; and Sam was designed to hold  _ Lucifer _ . He didn’t want his True Vessel  _ defiled _ . It was why he preferred male vessels in the first place. Humans had the bad habit of making more of themselves. It was disgusting!

Michael could not care less if Sam Winchester had offspring or not, nor if it was the more ‘natural’ way or a magical conception (as it obviously was). All that mattered was the ‘what’. And if and how it would have any bearing on their plans for The Apocalypse.

The demon, being a very high level one that it was, did not fear Lucifer’s possible reaction.

Zachariah also held no fear. He only hesitated to answer because he was disgusted by what he knew.

“A nephilim.”

The demon relayed his answer with amusement even as the angel let his own feelings leak into his voice. Not only was he disgusted, but Zachariah was horrified that  _ any _ of his brethren could have created such an abomination. Especially  _ with _ the abomination that was Sam Winchester.

Raphael’s reaction was on par with how Zachariah felt. Horrified, disgusted, and a giant dash of shocked. If Raphael had a vessel he might have made have made a face of some nature or other. As it was his emotions were clear in the way his grace pulsed and his wings flared.

But his display of his reaction was no match for Michael’s. Michael’s was the cause for the seraph to take a step or two back.

Michael’s, “WHAT?!” shook all of Heaven.

Lucifer had an interesting reaction to the news. The cast down archangel laughed. He was amused, entertained, delighted by what he heard. One of his brothers did something...naughty. Oh, yes! Lucifer was amused.

But he was also pissed as...well...Hell. One of his  _ brothers _ ... _ his _ brothers...slept with and impregnated  **_Lucifer's_ ** True Vessel. The child would be allowed to live, but the brother that dared to father it…? Lucifer would decide that later. First he needed to figure out how the child would work into his plans.

**_“Azazel, find out who the father is. Don’t disturb me until you do.”_ **

The demon assured the cast down archangel that he would and left the massacre, that he had created so that he could talk to his Lord, behind and went to do Lucifer’s bidding. 

Once Michael calmed down from his initial shock and horror calm set in. He needed to think and plan. He also needed to know who the offending brother was.

“Zachariah.”

Michael’s voice might have been as calm as it usually was, but for the first time in Zachariah’s existence he was nervous.

“Yes?”

“I must assume that you do not know the identity of the father since you have yet to tell me which of out brothers has broken this rule.”

The seraph nodded. “I could only sense that it was a nephilim. Nothing beyond that.”

“Go,” Michael commanded, “Find out who did this. And don’t come back until you do.”

Zachariah left his eldest brothers’ presence as fast as he reasonably could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will return you to your regularly scheduled program. 
> 
> ....and now that I've written the interlude I actually have an idea on how to progress the next chapter. Because Damn! I'd gotten stuck on it. So thanks again to Brenna1918 for the inspiration for the interlude chapters!!


	14. Who's Worried?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang is on the road and Sam wakes from a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. Irma is a thing and I live in about an hour from Tampa. So... this chapter is shorter than I intended, but I felt like I needed to get an update out and I dunno when I'm going to have enough time to get a real chapter written. But I want y'all to know that the only thing that would prevent me from updating is a writer's block (like usual), no wi-fi, too busy cleaning up after Irma....... I think you get the idea.

Dean glanced over at his dozing brother as they drove through one podunk town on their way to another. They had been invited to celebrate Winter Solstice with Loki’s son, Fenrir, and the Norse god Tyr.  _ And boy, if that wasn’t an odd thought to be having. _ The Winchesters celebrating a holiday, as it’s meant to be celebrated, for one; the Winchester brother’s  _ invited _ to someone’s place to do so, for two. It was a rare thing if Sam and Dean  _ happen _ to be at Uncle Bobby’s or with Pastor Jim during any holiday; and John  _ never _ gave the holidays, or birthdays, much thought after Mary had died.

Thinking of his parents reminded Dean of the biggest reason this whole trip was out of place. They’d been invited to celebrate a  _ pagan _ holiday by a  _ pagan god _ ! Wherever their dad was he would be having a conniption fit if he knew what they were on there way to, and with who.

Dean glanced at his brother again before focusing back on the road.

Then there was the whole bit where Sam was  _ pregnant _ ; let alone that the father of the half-human child was an  _ archangel _ . To say the least Dean was not looking forward to that particular confrontation when they finally found their father. Which they still needed to do.

It was the reminder that Sam was pregnant that had lead Dean to even agreeing to the trip. That and a set of puppy dog eyes that he has never been able to create a defense against. The combination, something that, somehow, seemed to be completely unconscious.

The topic had been brought up over breakfast, donuts that Dean had brought to Sam’s and Gabriel’s room. Gabriel had told them what the whole thing would entail...and then Sam had slid a hand down to his stomach. The kid wasn’t showing yet, but they had all seen Sam do that so many times, whether Sam had realized what he’s done or not. Then Sam had lifted those color changing hazel eyes at him with that look… It had gone straight to Dean’s heart.

Sammy hadn’t had to say a word. Dean could read his little brother like an open book. Sam wanted to give his kid everything they never got. Even if they weren’t, yet, in the world. Even if that meant spending time with Gabriel’s pagan family. 

A bunch of supernatural beings they would hunt as soon as they gave the hunter brothers a single reason to. Or at least normally. Things were getting muddy with all the gray that kept finding it’s way to Dean’s black and white scale.

Dean sighed and glanced over at his little brother again. Dozing as he was Sam looked wiped out. He wasn’t looking forward to waking the kid so they could stop for lunch. Which was something else Dean was still getting used to doing. Something they’ve had to add to the routine the passed month.

Before Sam had gone off to Stanford John wouldn’t have allowed for so many stops. Not for lunch, or pee breaks. Lunch would have been something grabbed from a gas station, and if they weren’t lucky to stop for dinner that meal would have been more of the same as lunch. And pee breaks certainly wouldn’t have been as frequent.

Sam’s pregnancy changed a lot more than Dean’s point of view on what constituted as needing ganked.

Suddenly a voice spoke up in the back seat. “Don’t worry about your brother so much. He needs to sleep more because creating and sustaining life takes a lot out of a person.”

That was another change Dean had had to get used to rather quickly.

The older hunter cursed as he corrected the small swerve the startelement had caused. Dean glanced at Sam, who was still dozing.

Okay, so Dean still wasn’t used to someone in his back seat, even if was used to Gabriel being around.

Gabriel snickered. “That still hasn’t gotten old.”

Dean snarled silently at his rearview mirror. “It’s on your head if you are the cause that gets us in an accident.”

A semi barreled down the county road going the opposite direction down the two lane highway. The wind it created as it passed buffered the car, but Dean handled it expertly after years of experience.

Dean watched as the humor dropped from the archangel’s face. “You’re right. My bad.”

Silence returned and reigned only a few minutes.

With a choked shout Sam jerked awake, put both hands to his belly, and began breathing hard.

“You alright there, Sammy?”

Out of the corner of his eyes Dean could see his brother shake his head no. Just then they came upon a bit of shoulder that looked wide enough to pull the car over safely. By the ruts in the ground it was a well used spot.  _ Good enough. _

No sooner than the car stopped Gabriel was out of the car, opening the passenger door, and pulling Sam into his arms. Sam went easily enough. In fact he latched onto the archangel as soon as he could.

When Dean got to the other side of the car he hard Sam tell Gabe, “It didn’t feel like a nightmare. Not really. But it wasn’t good either.”

Gabe ran a hand through Sam’s hair, “What did you see, Samshine?”

Sam shuddered at whatever he was remembering. “I think I saw…” he took a breath, “Your brothers. Michael, Raphael, and Zachariah.” Sam paused, made sure his eyes locked with Gabriel’s. “And Lucifer. They know,” his hand went to his belly, “they know I’m pregnant and they’re gonna try to find out who the angel parent is. They don’t know that yet.”

Gabriel hisses at the news and held Sam tighter to himself.

If what his little brother was saying was true then they were in deep kimchi. Dean didn’t even want to think about the implications that Sam might be getting visions. That he chalked up to whatever symptoms or side-effects Sam was getting for being pregnant with an angel baby.

**Author's Note:**

> It wasn't my intention to name this piece after the BORNS song, but when I started the metaphor it just fit so well as a title for this story.
> 
> Come talk to me on tumblr as stuckatsix.


End file.
